


Book 3: Fire (Sokka Love Story)

by Anonymous



Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Fights, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Near Death Experiences, Pining, Self-Discovery, Self-Doubt, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28014837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Things have officially gone to shit...AGAIN.In the aftermath of Azula's attack in Ba Sing Se, (Y/n) has to cope with Sokka and Aang being incapacitated, and worst of all, she wonders if things can ever go back the way they were.She learns that sometimes, the universe may deal shitty hands at her, but sometimes... the universe looks out for her, too, through Sokka, Aang, Toph, and Katara.Or, (Y/n) is the one who has shocking revelations, Sokka is lovesick, Aang doubles down on his scheming, and this time he has Toph and Katara to help.
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Lightning, Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar)/Reader
Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761007
Comments: 60
Kudos: 276
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Book 3: Chapter 1: Wake Me Up (Wake Me Up Inside)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, there. *waves nervously* I'm back.
> 
> Alright. If I had balls, November would've been kicking me there constantly because lemme tell you, I have now removed November from any calendar. That month no longer exists to me. Fuck you, November. 
> 
> It's been a month. I have accomplished writing four stupid essays, and too little chapters in this story but fear not, I have any extra tool in my belt: NOTHING TO DO! That's right, folks, hopefully I'm not a lazy bitch and get serious writing done. 
> 
> In other news, I love you all. You've been the perfect readers, patient and kind and so supportive, and it's literally what got me through the "Month That Doesn't Exist." For that, you get an extra long chapter, over 9,000 words. Can you believe it? I know I can't.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: In the beginning, there are scenes of blood and a lil bit of gore. Not as descriptive, but it's just to let you know. Also a panic attack or so but it's not super explicit. 
> 
> And if you know me, there's a lot of curse words.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of Ba Sing Se, Sokka and Aang are both severely injured and they flee to a Fire Nation ship with the Water Tribe Warriors.
> 
> (Y/n) is distant, numb, and hurting, making Katara and Toph worried even more. It's not fun, but Toph vows to knock some sense into her once and for all.

_“Sokka, c’mon, just… open your eyes.”_

_“Please.”_

*

The air smelt charred and smoky, rising in soft grey plumes up to the cavern ceiling. There was a sharp white noise, ringing persistently and it seemed like time took its course as slow as possible, as if it was waiting for a reaction. And then it got what it wanted and time sped up instantly, crashing like a wave as the ringing stopped altogether.

_No._

Her scream was hoarse and broken. Her heart pounded like a war drum in her chest.

Once her legs were freed by Toph’s bending, (Y/n) took off to close the small distance between her and Sokka. Something like horror ripped through her at the sight of the scorched, burnt skin of his dark chest that bubbled blisters and bled dark red through blue clothes.

His face was the most damning of all, where he was so usually animated with his expressions, now wiped clean except for the tiniest furrow of his brows as if he was still in pain. Sokka should never look like that. His lips were parted and when she pressed her ear near them, she heard the tiniest of breaths, just a straggle of a wheeze as if he was holding on by a fraying string.

(Y/n)’s fingers shook as she touched his shoulders. Her eyes stung in the smoky air wisping from half-charred clothes. She shook him lightly, willing for his eyes to snap open. 

_“Sokka? No, no, Sokka, c’mon.”_

The tears spilled over and she choked, holding him tighter to her chest now. Her fingers brushed across his cheek and when her tears fell on his limp face, they made trails down his dusty, soot-caked skin.

_“Please, don—don’t do this to me.”_

He wasn’t waking up. Why—why wasn’t he waking up?

Why did he do that? Why did he jump in front of her?

Why couldn’t he be selfish? 

_“Sokka...”_

*

Fuck the universe. Two middle fingers in the air, lips mouthing the words “fuck you,” straight-up into the skies kind of _fuck the universe._

(Y/n) isn’t an idiot.

She was allowed to be selfish. She thrown into this world, bound and dragged moments after her death where she couldn’t even remember if she had the chance to say goodbye to her family. She lost her pinkie finger in the coldest part of the world. She had to figure out what her purpose was for months before it was slapped to her face that she was nothing more than someone who had to fix things like a fed-up mechanic smashing their wrench against a stupid, useless, broken car, that only started up when she had to play nice, had to sacrifice herself and her happiness to make it work just for a little longer without knowing when the car would break down next.

Because it would break down again.

Because it _did_.

And this time, she… she doesn’t know how to _fix this._

Nice words and good intentions won’t fix it.

She was brought here. She made friends here, connections she so wholly loved and cherished and then the script forced her to… to let them get hurt.

And for what?

To tell a story?

To teach her a lesson?

Because she had to watch Aang get electrocuted until he was on the brink of death. She had to watch Katara tear herself apart trying to save him and herself.

And when (Y/n) had tried to save him, because she was allowed _one_ selfish thing. Just the one—because she would never, _ever_ , willingly step aside to let Aang get hurt.

Not again.

That’s when the universe pulled the brakes too hard and swerved her over a cliff. She… she wasn’t _allowed_ to be selfish.

And for that, the universe decided to teach her a lesson, and end up hurting the one person that would break (Y/n) if he died.

Sokka got hurt because of her.

So, yeah. Fuck the universe.

(Y/n) lets the ship rock her quietly to sleep, her eyes fluttering close as the last thing she sees is the side of Sokka’s face, his lashes kissing gently the top of his cheeks, and another day gone without his cheerful smiles and laughter. Her fingers run along his cheek before falling down to his neck as she drifts off to sleep.

“Hope to see you tomorrow, sweetheart,” she mumbles to the quiet room.

*

_“Please, just—if you can hear me, o-open your eyes!”_

_He—he wasn’t moving, and she could feel someone tugging at her, telling her to get up, now, but then she’s clutching him tighter._

_“No—” she moaned brokenly over him. His chest was hot,_

_and she didn’t know what to do. what was she going to do? what—_

_“Sokka, please…”_

The cycle feels endless.

(Y/n) wakes up in time for picking up a plate for breakfast where she eats it outside where the wind blows salty smelling air her way, and it’s better this way. She’s not too sure she can stomach fire or smoke yet. There’s only sea for endless miles.

Then, she goes back to the room where Sokka is, and helps Katara remove the bandages from his chest. She watches Katara’s face screw in sadness as she performs some healing magic over the scarred skin of his chest. Where there was once blisters and sensitive red skin, now it’s faded to light pinkish, and in a couple of days of healing, turned into light scarring, a thick, starburst-shaped blemish against Sokka’s chest.

(Y/n) takes time to visit Aang in his room where Katara checks on his wounds. It’s taken most of her healing waters to bring Aang back. (Y/n) does her best to perform short massages for his limp muscles, but compared to Sokka’s loose, relaxed form, Aang is stiff and tight and unrelenting, as if every single one of his chakras have locked up, and no amount of massage against the points can clear it up to get him to relax.

It pains her to see the youthful, cheery boy so silent. Dark brown—almost black hair grows over his head and covers up most of his arrow tattoo.

Then, she goes to feed Appa and Momo. Momo follows her back to Sokka’s room and tugs on his hair—something he can get away with now that Sokka isn’t awake.

And (Y/n) just curls up near him and waits.

He’ll wake up. Any day now and she’ll see him again.

One of the days, Hakoda, Sokka’s father, takes a break from leading the stolen Fire Nation ship to visit Sokka. (Y/n) sits up and makes place for him to settle down, where his large hand grasps Sokka’s tenderly.

He sighs.

“He’s told me a lot about you,” Hakoda murmurs.

(Y/n) cracks a smile. In the short amount of time Sokka had met up with his father, of course he’d gush about her. “All good things, I hope.”

Hakoda puts his hand down and turns to her. Despite the hard lines on his face and the battle-worn body he holds up, his eyes are warm, a dark blue that shines. “When I heard he made a best friend, I was so happy. There never was anyone Sokka’s age he could be friends with. But I’m sure he won you over with his great sense of humour. He gets it from me.”

Her smile falters and when her eyes dart to Sokka once more, it’s like Hakoda understands what she’s feeling. She can’t even bear to replay how heart-breaking it was to have Appa land near the Water Tribe ships, and to see the pure devastation in Hakoda’s eyes as he saw his barely breathing son.

How could she do this to them? Tt should’ve been her to get hurt.

“It’s not your fault,” Hakoda says gently, and it’s not something she can easily swallow. “My boy… he loves you and he’d give his life to keep you safe.”

Her heart is thundering. “He almost did,” (Y/n) whispers.

“And he’ll do it again if it means keeping you safe. We’re lucky he survived.” Hakoda sucks in a breath and brushes the brown strands off Sokka’s face. “So, when he wakes up, we’ll be there, and you can confess your undying love for him.”

(Y/n) splutters. “What—wha— _excuse me?_ I—”

Hakoda snickers. “He’d probably fall into another coma.” They both wince, and he mutters, “Too soon, right. I just… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Half of this doesn’t even feel real and waiting around makes it worse.”

“I’ll keep watching over him.” she hesitates, but when Hakoda raises a brow, (Y/n) asks, “if—if I happen to be from somewhere else… you’re still okay with it? Me and Sokka?”

Hakoda tilts his head, slightly confused. “You mean the Fire Nation thing?” Her heart nearly stops. “As long as my son trusts you, I have no reason to doubt that. Plus, you genuinely care for him and that’s all I can ask, really.”

She wrings her fingers together, her gaze flicking away from Sokka’s limp fingers. “Right… Fire Nation.”

Hakoda stands up and pats her shoulder. “Let me know if anything changes, alright?”

(Y/n) nods and watches him leave. The second the door shuts quietly, she’s grabbing Sokka’s hand and carefully intertwining their fingers, and a weight lifts off her shoulders.

And something he says sticks with her. Sokka almost died, and he would’ve never known how she felt for him, and while she wants to confess to Sokka, she knows there’s only one thing blocking her from that.

She needs to tell Sokka _everything_.

*

It’s another boring day on the ship. They reached a small island in the middle of nowhere between the length of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. They decide to dock there for the night, and some of the crew explore the tiny land for food and water to restock their supplies.

Toph takes the opportunity to slam herself into the sand before bolting onto firmer soil deep inland, with Smellerbee and Duke in tow to experience the twilight.

(Y/n) spent another hopeless day waiting for Sokka to wake up, so she takes a break, too. On the way, she sees Katara still watching over Aang and so she leaves her be. Instead, (Y/n) collects some wild cabbages and fruits she finds, with Momo perched on her shoulder, crooning.

As she peels a strange mango fruit and feeds a bit to Momo, (Y/n) sighs. The island is brimming with trees and bushes, but after a certain point, it elevates into a rocky cliffside. It’s quiet, except for the soft crashing of the waves against the cliff. Momo chitters quietly, his tiny paws pulling at her hair playfully.

Her senses tingle, and she dodges just as a flying rock comes her way, just a hair’s breadth from her shoulder and Momo screeches, taking off into flight.

(Y/n) swivels to find several rocks levitating, waiting and she steels herself.

One rock slams near her but she rolls, and then it’s just a frenzy of trying to dodge rocks and somersaulting away from tripping on loose ground that shifts under her. And she realizes that even though she isn’t really getting hit, the rocks are pushing her back, to the edge of the cliff drop.

One rock nearly takes her face off and she yells, “Toph, that’s _enough!”_

A growling sound makes her eyes roll. “Not until you start talking.” The voice comes from the edge of the tree-line.

“If you want me to talk, approach me like a normal person.” (Y/n) receives a tiny rock pelted to her arm and she hisses, rubbing that spot. “I’m not in the mood, Toph.”

As Toph emerges, her fingers in tight positions to move the earth, one footstep rumbles through the ground and it’s like a wave that shoots to (Y/n). Her heart is caught in her throat as she teeters on the edge, and just as the wave of earth hits her, she flips forward, right into a slab of rock Toph erects, before being taken right out over the edge, far enough that even if she stood up on the levitating rock, she wouldn’t be able to make the jump back to land.

Under her, the ocean water crashes into rocks below and (Y/n) snarls, looking up from her perch. She has to hold on tight because the rock slab isn’t exactly horizontal. No, Toph likes to complicate things, alright, and has it tilted at an angle that if she lets go, she’s dropping.

“This is childish,” (Y/n) says sharply. wind whips her hair around her carelessly.

“Good thing I’m a child,” Toph retorts, standing at the edge of the cliff, barely flinching from holding up the rock and (Y/n) mid-air. “Start talking. I won’t let you go otherwise.”

“What do you even want me to say?”

Toph taps a finger to her cheek thoughtfully. “Let’s see, apart from distancing yourself from me and Katara?” Her eyes narrow. “And the fact that Momo is suddenly your best friend? He’s not even human, (Y/n)!”

(Y/n) sucks in a breath. “Toph, I’m not distancing myself.”

A chunk of the rock breaks off and makes her shake in the air, and (Y/n) has to clutch tighter, her heart thumping ferociously. What is it with her friends and mid-air interrogation?

“Then why do you keep avoiding me when I want to talk?” Toph snaps. She looks furious. “Don’t deny it, I can feel you tiptoe around me.”

“Fine!” (Y/n) relents, pressing her forehead against the cold stone. “Maybe I’ve been avoiding you, but that’s because I’m not in the mood to talk.”

“Well, what about me, then, huh? What if I had something to say? They’re my friends, too.”

“ _You_ didn’t watch them get hurt!” Her voice comes as a shout, cracking, and it echoes in the stillness around them. “Sokka didn’t jump in front of you to save you! And _you’re_ not the one who _failed_ to save Aang!”

Toph pauses. Slowly, the rock comes back to land, softly thumping the ground, but (Y/n) only moves to sit on it tiredly, unclenching her fingers, keeping her eyes down. “So that’s what this is about,” Toph says quietly. She sits beside (Y/n), letting her legs splay out comfortably as she makes herself a seat on the rock. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

(Y/n) scoffs in reply, but then Toph sidles closer and wraps her arms around her waist from the side carefully, and rather stiltedly as well, but it’s the fact that Toph is hugging her, comforting her right now that has her eyes horrifyingly tear up.

“It’s not your fault,” Toph murmurs with conviction, and she wonders if this feels how they do when they ask her questions she knows the answers to. As she says it again, Toph presses her face into (Y/n)’s arm as if letting the words sink into her skin. For the first time since the incident, (Y/n) lets herself break down. Her cries turn into shaking sobs and Toph holds her tighter, and maybe they’re both pretending Toph isn’t tearful either, but she lets herself feel something other than guilt right now. She cries herself dry, and when she feels like she can’t cry anymore, her heart cracks open and it feels lighter, much lighter than the burden she’s been carrying around for a long time.

*

Ss she returns, she notices Appa on the ground, lying on his back and wiggling his six short legs happily. (Y/n) runs up to him and pets his nose, and she receives a wet lick to her cheek.

“Got you something, Appa!” (Y/n) empties her sack of cabbages and fruits and Appa rears to his feet and happily gobbles up the food. When Momo skitters down to swipe a fruit, Appa growls and snatches it quickly, swallowing the fruit before glaring at Momo.

When she goes back to the ship, night has completely fallen, and the deck of the ship has lanterns lit, where a couple of crew members stray or eat dinner. Her stomach is full of fruit, so she goes to Sokka’s room.

Just as she swings the door open to the dim room, someone yanks her inside and pins her face first into the wooden wall, twisting an arm behind her hard enough that she yelps, trying to push back, but the force gets stronger and (Y/n) bites back a pained groan. There’s a breath hot on her neck as her captor growls out, “Where am I?”

(Y/n) slips her leg behind the man and hooks her ankle around his before tugging, and his grip loosens on her as he tumbles backwards. When she whirls around, she sees Sokka on the ground, rubbing the back of his head as he pants. His blue eyes flick up and widen.

“(Y/n)?” His voice is hoarse and shocked.

Her smile lights up and she falls to her knees to draw him into a tight hug. “You’re awake!”

Sokka laughs softly, wrapping his arms around her, but when she burrows herself closer, he hisses and flinches. “Hurts! It hurts!”

She draws back and his hand rubs lightly over his bandaged chest. “Sorry,” (Y/n) mumbles, but nothing stops her from smiling brighter. “I—I just missed you.”

His brows furrow. “What? Why’d you—why are we on a Fire Nation ship?”

(Y/n) helps him settle down and sits next to him as she narrates how they broke out of Ba Sing Se, met up with the Water Tribe ships, and hijacked a Fire Nation vessel to travel into Fire Nation territory. Sokka got excited at the prospect of his father here, but before she fetches him, he grabs her arm.

His smile slips off his lips. “How are you?” he asks.

“Sokka, you’ve been in a coma for more than a week,” (Y/n) says, “I should be asking you that.”

“I’m a little sore and my chest hurts. Which Katara can heal up.” Sokka’s eyes soften and then he’s tugging her closer, rubbing his fingers along her fidgeting ones, soothing it, and once more, (Y/n) feels the emptiness fill up gradually, a reassurance. “Last I saw you, you were begging me to open my eyes.”

(Y/n)’s face pales. “You—you heard me?”

Sokka nods. His warm fingers run up her arm, almost ticklish, as he cups her face and runs a thumb along the under of her right eye. She sucks in a breath as he says, “I heard a lot, I just couldn’t move or breathe much. There… well, I was only there when things _heated_ up and ended up blacking out after that. Slept like a _log_.”

Her eyes narrow. As the corner of his lips twitch upwards almost imperceptibly, (Y/n) whispers, “You’re dead to me.” She grabs his pillows and smacks his shoulder and Sokka squeals, laughing as she shouts, “You’re making fucking puns?!”

“I just wanted to _light_ up the mood—ow!” The pillow hits him in the face and he whips it off to grin. “Someone’s getting _fired_ up.”

“You almost died!” (Y/n) snaps, and that grin melts off his face. Her hands tremor as she grips her hair, choking, finally letting out that barrage of emotions, all because of stupid _puns_. “You almost _died_ , Sokka! How—how could you joke about that?”

Sokka eases her hands off. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean—”

“Neither did I!” Her voice cracks, and she wishes she had the courage to laugh with him. She wishes she could laugh in the face of death, but facing death feels like nothing compared to watching Aang get electrocuted, to watching Sokka nearly die. “I didn’t mean for this to happen! This wasn’t _supposed_ to happen, Sokka! You were supposed to be safe. Aang—Aang was… and it’s _my_ fault. it’s my fault because I tried to change and _now_ —”

“Hey!” Sokka looks so massively confused, and (Y/n) doesn’t even know how crazy and wide-eyed she is until he’s catching her face with both palms and squishing her cheeks together, forcing her to stop talking. “This isn’t your fault.”

Her eyes close in anguish. “Yesh, it ish.”

He slowly shakes her head. “No, it isn’t. You tried to save Aang by taking on Azula. Do you know how terrified I was watching you take her on and letting you face that fireball? I don’t think even Firelord Ozai is as scary as Azula, and she’s only fourteen-years-old.” He releases her cheeks when he knows she won’t interrupt with her frantic tirade. “I promised you I would watch your back. I promised you that I will always take a hit for you, and see, I’m fine now.”

“It wasn’t worth it.”

“What?”

(Y/n) feels her eyes sting. “It wasn’t worth it, Sokka. Maybe you find it easy to take hits for me, but I—I can’t see you hurt. I don’t care if you’re fine now, Sokka, because you _weren’t_ before, and I had to make sure you didn’t suddenly stop breathing in the middle of the night. I don’t _want_ you to take hits for me.”

“I don’t car—”

“No, you need to _stop_ taking hits for me before it’ll be your last.”

“Then it’ll be my last!” Sokka explodes and she stiffens. “I don’t know when it will get through that thick skull of yours, (Y/n), but I literally don’t care if I die if it means _you_ get to live.”

(Y/n) shoves him off. She blinks away tears, trying to ignore how livid he looks. “That’s not fair.”

“So, the next time you’re in danger, you expect me to just stand by and watch?”

“Yes!”

He pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling noisily. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“ _You’re_ the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”

They pause, connecting gazes, but then Sokka is the first to crack as he laughs, and suddenly soft chuckles escape her, too. The next thing she knows, she’s leaning against him, utterly exhausted, and sokka’s eyes are drooping close, even as their laugh peters out. There’s too much silence and yet it’s not enough to quiet her mind.

(Y/n) doesn’t know she’s saying it until she does. “Why do you want to leave me, too?” Sokka makes an inquisitive sound, nuzzling into the crook of her neck gently, and she puts an arm around him. “My parents are gone. No friends. I have no one except you guys. So, why do you want me to be alone again?”

Sokka huffs softly. Their joined hands rest on her lap and his thumb does those soothing circles that she times her breaths to. “I guess I can’t bear the thought of you dying. I can’t bear living another day without you, not if I can do something about it.”

Her heart roars in her chest, begging to be let loose. (Y/n) bites her lip. “Would it be okay if I revealed something more about myself?”

“Is it a Level 5 or above?”

She snorts. “More like Level Unbelievable.”

Sokka pulls back, curious. “We’ve never reached that level before. I’m all ears.”

“I’m from another universe.”

*

(Y/n) stops talking when Sokka is staring at the distance, and she knows that look of revelation. She’d been through it once before in Zuko’s ship, and so she picks up a pillow and gets Sokka in a corner, presses the pillow into his hands meaningfully before returning to her bed roll quietly.

Somehow, he understands, curls up in that corner of the room, shoves his face into the pillow, and _screams_.

(Y/n) purses her lips, tapping her fingers against her thighs as his screeches barely take breaks in between, and he heaves in one mighty breath, absolutely howls into the pillow, and then finally Sokka gets up, the picture of calm as he hands the pillow back to her with a nod.

“As you put it so eloquently,” Sokka says, dropping down to sit, still only half there. “What the fuck?”

(Y/n) is spread on her bedroll, trying to fight off an oncoming headache. “Sounds so weird when you say it. I feel like I tainted you somehow.”

Sokka looms over her, his eyes wide and disbelieving. “If you had told me this from the beginning, half of the issues we had wouldn’t be an issue!”

“And how was I supposed to bring it up? Hey, Sokka, right after we kick these firebenders’ asses, I’m going to tell you all about the different universe I travelled from to fix things here?!”

“That’s one way to do it.”

“Fuck you.”

Sokka holds up his hands, slightly confused. “How many more types of context can you use that word in?” He clutches at his head before holding up a finger at her. He sucks in a breath and exhales. “Unrelated. Now… now that I think about it… Wait, so all of this actually _is_ your fault?”

“Thanks for rubbing it in,” she mumbles, trying to shove her face into her pillow but he tilts her head back with his fingers tenderly. She bemoans when he meets her gaze sympathetically, so (Y/n) just groans. “Let me die in my self-pity!”

“That sounds… pitiful.”

She scowls. “Being hit by a firebolt made you a jerk.”

Sokka’s shoulders shake as he laughs. “Hey, I was a jerk _long_ before someone decided to turn me into a burnt human steak. I don’t mean that I blame you, alright? Just a sort of train of thought I’m following about, y’know, the consequences of taking down a fully realized firebender. I’m just trying to figure this out.”

(Y/n) studies the way his tongue sticks out the corner of his mouth, pondering the entire situation. “I don’t know what more there is to figure out. I messed up, tried to throw things off track, and you got hurt for that. Lesson learned, I’m gonna let things flow.”

His eyes suddenly snap to hers, unnervingly still. “Flow until what? Once your task is complete, what happens then, to you?”

She shrugs, trying to not let that fear crawl its way into her heart, but Sokka is studying her for a change. Makes her antsy and choppy in her response. “Haven’t figured that part out yet.”

His hair is slightly longer, an inch or two grown out to brush down on his shoulders. The shaved undercut of his hair has grown thicker, still short but it fills him up a little more. It looks slightly greasy as he runs his fingers through the locks, letting them swing back down loosely. He looks attractive, even as he pops in a fruit from a nearby tray.

(Y/n) sits up, crossing her legs to watch him grab his book, the one with seal-shark leather, bunched up with pages and loose sheets all bound together dangerously messy. She can’t understand half the things he scrawls onto it, but the one time she tried to get his atlas that was stuck in the binding, she saw terms like ‘ _Republic’_ and ‘ _Flower rain’_ which were completely strange bulleted points all on their own.

But she did add a couple of her own little drawings around which Sokka found adorable, like the small flower doodles and stars, and in one corner, a bunch of boomerangs. She just knew to avoid the section he labelled ‘Art’ because that _wasn’t_ art. That was… never mind, she could never let his bright smile down no matter how terrible his drawings are.

“In hindsight, a lot about you makes sense now,” Sokka comments. He writes something down. “Are you sure your purpose is to fix things here?”

“I’ve been doing nothing but that the entire time.”

“Because you know how this ends,” Sokka says absently. His writing hand falters and he looks up, some parts awed and some parts still processing in his head. “You know _everything_ that happens. If we win the war. If any of us die. That… yeah, that makes a _lot_ of sense.”

(Y/n) realizes Sokka looks almost heartbroken. She can’t figure out why. “Sokka, I know it’s hard to wrap your mind around. In fact, I’m surprised you believe me in the first place.”

Sokka scoffs. “It’s so much easier to think you’re from another universe rather than some girl who makes unique curse words and dances strangely, and covers it up with the most terrible lies. Besides, I’d promised to believe you and never really freak out, right?”

“Right,” she says, carefully watching the way a muscle in his jaw twitched as if he… clenched, stopped himself from talking. “So why does it look like you aren’t telling me something?”

Sokka’s shoulders slump. “Yue.” When she winces, he nods. “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.”

“Sokka, I _couldn’t_ save her. She was meant to be the moon spirit.”

“I get it. You tried to save Aang and things went messy.” He pauses. “But what if that was just a one-time thing? This has never happened before. Shouldn’t we at least test how far we can push until things go awry? The next might turn out good.”

(Y/n) shakes her head. “I’m not risking it.”

“But—”

“I’m not!” She interrupts sharply. “I have watched people get hurt because they’re _meant_ to. I have watched so many terrible things happen because although I could stop it, it wasn’t meant to be changed. I’m not supposed to make things _easier_. I’m supposed to make things work like they should.”

He looks disappointed. His brows are furrowing deeply, and he bites his bottom lip, voice low as he states. “You don’t believe that.”

(Y/n) fixes him with a glower. “How about this? You watch two of your closest friends nearly die, and then come to me if you think it’s okay to ‘ _push_.’”

“Well, _I_ don’t believe that.”

That frustration is back. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you believe, does it? I’ll end up fixing you if you stray, too.”

Just as patient as he had looked, the instant those words leave her, his entire expression shuts down and (Y/n) suddenly feels taken aback at the sheer indignancy in the stilted way he sat up straighter. Sokka slams his book down and gets to his feet without a word. (Y/n) isn’t going to back down from his glare, despite knowing that was a terrible hit she just doled out. “I won’t believe that your only purpose here is to watch people suffer when you can make things better. And I sure as hell know you can’t ‘ _fix’_ me, (Y/n).”

She scoffs, turning her back to him. The threads on her blanket have suddenly become very interesting. “Believe what you want.”

Just before he leaves, Sokka says, “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know I was bisexual. How’s that one for straying?”

The door shut quietly behind him and despite how near soundless that action was, it felt like an earthquake shuddering through her the moment it clicked close. (Y/n) screws her eyes shut. The room is now deadly silent, and though the waves of the sea are a distant sound, it’s so empty without Sokka’s deep breathing she was familiar with in the whole, long week.

A couple of minutes later, the guilt sinks in. Hell, maybe he’s right. because his sexuality is one main point, isn’t it? Despite not wanting to stray from the show, she’s done that. Purely by her existence, she’s changed things so severely that nothing can take it back.

Because Aang looks to her like she’s his biggest comfort. Katara loves bossing her around because she knows (Y/n) is a softie who is wrapped around her finger. Toph trusts her in pushing boundaries, in opening up in ways the TV show never showed.

Even Suki has strayed from her role.

Most of all, Sokka, who cares so deeply, whose first thought after discovering her knowledge is to try and make this place better. But little by little, she’s already done that.

Fuck, she should apologize.

When she goes in search of Sokka, she finds him being coddled by his father and sister, who happily hand him trays of food that he gobbles.

So, (Y/n) goes back to the room and falls asleep before he can come back. Or maybe he never came back.

The next morning, his bedroll is still empty and her chest somehow, feels emptier. Sokka avoids her the entire day, spending it with Toph, planning a little with his father and Bato, and most of all, playing fetch with Momo. He had fetched a small rock from their piles of earth ammunition stored near the catapults, and he’d throw it out and let Momo fly off to fetch it. It was rather hilarious to see Momo catch a fish instead and drop it on Sokka’s head, the rock sunk deep into the ocean already. It was funny to watch him fumble with it, even as a smile played on his lips when he awarded Momo with a scratch to the chin. They raced to the kitchen to steal some fruits together afterwards, which was pretty cute.

So, (Y/n) stays up a little later that night, and surely, the door cracks open and he slips in. When Sokka notices she’s awake and watching him, he huffs softly.

“Surprised you didn’t fall asleep this time.”

(Y/n) follows him across the room with her gaze as he fiddles with the lit candle. “It doesn’t make it easy when you come here as late as possible.”

He caps the candle and the fire snuffs out. The only light coming in is barely there, dim moonlight, but as Sokka settles into his bedroll, he mutters, “I didn’t know what to say if you were awake last night. I don’t know now either.”

She pulls up the blanket to her chin, eyes fixed to the roof of the room. “We promised we wouldn’t go to sleep angry.”

“I wasn’t angry with you.” Sokka says it in a whisper, and maybe he wasn’t, but he was sorely disappointed in her, confused, _frustrated_. There’s a soft sigh, some shuffling as Sokka adjusts himself into his bed before he says, “What’s the science like in your world?”

It’s a reprieve. Not gonna solve their issues, but maybe lessen the blow somehow. They can try.

“It’s pretty great,” she says, a smile on her face as she tries hard to recall anything she can remember, but they’re few and far in between. So, she tells him as much as she can about a rocket to the moon (Sokka was excited about that, but rather disappointed when she stated that _no_ , bending does not exist there, and he wouldn’t really find Yue on the moon should he find a way to get there). (Y/n) was elated when she remembers a little more, but halfway through her narration of microwaves, she hears a soft rumbling from him and realizes he’s snoring.

(Y/n) lets herself stare at his face a little longer, from his long lashes to the soft flat line of his lips. This time, at least, she knows he will wake up.

She thinks things will work out.

*****

Her cycle has changed.

It’s awkward and silent and she waits for someone to break the tension between her and Sokka, but she’s too afraid to push any more than that one night.

Sokka wakes up early to meet up with his father, Bato, and a few other leaders of the Water Tribe to make plans about the invasion on the day of the solar eclipse.

So, she spends free time in Aang’s chambers, where she talks to him even though she cannot hear him, but she does tell him anything that comes to mind. She apologizes to him once at least every day.

A couple of nights later as she goes to the kitchen, she hears a commotion on the deck of the ship where someone panics. The sky is a dark blue where the stars twinkle brightly.

There’s a small crowd on the deck. When she climbs down the mast, she realizes Aang has woken up, too, and as he rests his bodyweight on his staff, he looks frazzled.

Aang is confused as he sees the flying lemur perched on Hakoda’s shoulder. “Momo?” When his eyes drift further back, they grow wide. “(Y/n)!” and he barrels into her for a hug before tugging at her sleeve. “What’s going on? Why are we in a Fire Nation ship?”

(Y/n) hugs him again, savouring how he tightens his grip around her, burying his face into her shoulder. “We’re not in any danger. They’re friends.”

Aang makes a sound of disbelief. “Fire Nation?”

“Nope. Water tribe.” She points out to Hakoda. “Familiar, right?”

Aang nods slowly, his fingers reluctantly unhooking from her tunic. “What happened?”

A voice tentatively echoes in the darkness. “Twinkle-Toes, that's got to be you.”

Aang turns, and Toph and Katara are running towards him excitedly.

Katara is beaming. “Aang, you're awake!”

“Are you sure?” Aang rubs his eyes. “I feel like I'm dreaming.” His breath hitches as Katara embraces him and a blush forms on his cheeks as she murmurs, “You're not dreaming. You're finally awake.”

Sokka, dressed in Fire Nation armour, hugs him by the neck, and Aang looks even more confused as he says, “Aang, good to see you back with the living, buddy.”

“Sokka?”

Aang teeters slightly, and Toph points to him. “Somebody, catch him, he's gonna...”

(Y/n) slips her arms under his just as his eyes roll into the back of his skull and he falls boneless against her. She grunts under his weight and Katara comes up to loop his arm over her shoulder.

They take him back to his room where Katara carefully arranges him to be comfortable, a thick pillow under his head. Hakoda joins them in their little circle, and there’s the thickest tension in the silence as they wait for Aang to wake up.

(Y/n) and Sokka, who usually end up making a situation more comfortable, avoid each other’s eyes and awkwardly shift every once in a while. Toph is playing with a chunk of rock that she ‘accidently’ smacks him with, and when he glares, she feigns innocence. Katara has taken to ignoring her father because she has her own abandonment issues, and Hakoda is leaning against a wall, arms crossed as his eyes flick from one tense person to the next.

Finally, when Aang wakes up, everyone sighs in relief.

His first few questions are: “Why are we on a Fire Nation ship? Why is everyone dressed this way? And why am I the only one out of it?”

Sokka takes up the question. “We hijacked a Fire Nation ship to get out of Ba Sing Se. Since then, we've been traveling west. We crossed through The Serpent's Pass a few days ago. We've seen a few Fire Nation ships, but none have bothered us.”

“So, what now?”

Hakoda unfolds his arms. “We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan.”

“It's Sokka's invasion plan,” Katara says, annoyed.

it looks like Hakoda is holding back a wince as he backtracks. He claps Sokka’s shoulder proudly. “Yes, Sokka's plan. We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable.”

“So, we're planning a smaller invasion. Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke.” (Y/n) completes.

Aang, whose gaze has been bouncing from one person to the next, suddenly latches on to Sokka, eyes narrowing. He freezes, and then his finger is hooking into Sokka’s tunic and tugging it down. Sokka squeaks, but it reveals the bandages and Aang gasps. “What happened? You got hurt? When?”

Everyone in the room stiffens and Aang tilts his head, studying each of them. Katara is the first to speak. “He got hurt protecting (Y/n).”

“Took a fire blast right here!” Sokka grins and points to his chest. “I really showed Azula. Not even she can kill me.”

(Y/n) sucks in a breath. “I tried to stop Azula from hurting you, but she did anyway. Then she came after me and Sokka got in the way.”

Aang looks conflicted, but then he touches her arm and says, “It isn’t your fault.”

her eyes instantly well up in tears and she blinks them back. Her chest aches because it _is_ her fault. She can feel Sokka’s eyes on her and it burns holes into her. (Y/n) stands up and mumbles, “I’m gonna… go on lookout duty.”

No one stops her.

Aang finally notices Sokka’s downcast gaze. “Did I miss something?”

Sokka can’t get over how terrible it was to watch (Y/n) walk away. he knows she still carries guilt over it, and he feels like he’s made it worse, twisted the knife further into her. “I’ll fill you in later. The best part of this is the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret. You!”

“Me?”

“Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead!” He stands up and raises his arms triumphantly. “Isn't that great?!”

Aang’s face flashes in horror.

“The world thinks I'm dead? How is that good news? That's terrible!”

“No, it's great. It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore. And even better, they won't expect you on The Day of Black Sun.”

“No, no, no, no, no. You have no idea. This is so messed up!” Aang leaps to his feet, burying his face in his hands as he whines.

Geez, this just isn’t Sokka’s week, is it? First (Y/n)’s mad at him, now Aang’s upset. If (Y/n) were here, she’d probably smack him for being so crude with his words.

There’s a loud horn that sends everyone else out, and they notice (Y/n) shouting at everyone to put their helmets on and the deck explodes into chaos as they cover up their tracks. Appa is hidden away into the brig temporarily, and they all don their Fire Nation armour. There’s another ship that comes to check on them, and it was sudden that their cover was blown and then they were under attack.

The battle starts and ends like it always does. With Sokka jinxing them and making a sea monster erupt to attack them. Toph sends a flurry of rocks to the other ship to damage it, and they all have to dodge fire rocks sent back in retaliation while the waterbenders work overtime in dousing them out.

(Y/n) sighs because she really doesn’t want to make a reputation of herself for redirecting sea monsters, but she manages to grab a flare and light it. It attracts the monster just as she throws it, and when it lands on the other Fire Nation ship, the sea monster targets them instead and the refugees make it past safely, cheering their victory.

All except Aang, who is upset. Who wanted to fight back, but was forced to stay under the deck. 

Because he’s supposed to be dead.

By the next night, they dock into a small town where they slide into a pier for merchants.

One run to get food ends up with Aang going missing.

And as they take Appa to find Aang, with Katara steering, it leaves (Y/n) and Sokka in the saddle. So Sokka barely glances at her, keeping his head bowed as he goes to join his sister up ahead at the reins, despite the lingering look he receives from (Y/n).

Katara’s brows are knit tight as her eyes roam the dark seas. “Trouble in paradise? I’m surprised it lasted this long.”

Sokka huffs, resting his chin on his palm. “Shut up, Katara.”

“At least tell me what it’s about, jerk.”

“We had a fight. She was stubborn and I was trying to knock some sense into her, but does she listen? Nope. So, I don’t know what to do and I know she’s just as clueless because we’re both equally dumb.”

Katara makes a so-so sound. “I don’t think it’s equal. I mean, she’s dumb but you’re much dumber.”

He shoves her. “You’re a terrible sister. I came here to bare my soul—”

“You came here to put off what you know you should be doing. Why’s this so different? You guys have fought badly before.”

Sokka shrugs. “She’s taking Aang’s and my injuries too seriously. I get that it’s scary but that shouldn’t stop her from doing what’s right.”

Katara stops moving, breath catching in her throat. “Do you remember when she got hurt by Mai’s dagger that time in Omashu?” Sokka nods. He does remember, it was terrifying as (Y/n) collapsed and he just saw so much blood. “Well, then you know how scary _that_ was. But this… I’ve really not seen (Y/n) like this, okay? Something in her broke when we were flying away from Ba Sing Se. She was in shock and Sokka, she just kept begging for you to wake up.”

Sokka feels a sting to his heart. “Oh.”

Katara presses her hands to her eyes, as if she could feel exactly what (Y/n) felt. “I’ve never seen her look so scared. She made _me_ scared just looking at her. She… she was tearing herself up and she wouldn’t let go of you. Even after you were stable, she would stay by your side almost the entire time. Toph had to knock some sense into her.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Just take it a little easy on her,” Katara murmurs. “It’s one thing to see someone you love get hurt. It’s another thing to know they got hurt protecting you. If she’s scared, it’s because she really won’t be able to handle anything more of this.”

Sokka stands up and brushes his pants. “I’m gonna talk to her.”

Katara nods. “And kiss her while you’re at it. I can’t bear seeing you two dance around each other like hungry wolves.”

Spirits, Katara, way to be blunt about it.

*

(Y/n) pets Momo gently on his furry little head, letting his croons lull her into a calm. Toph beside her takes one second of quiet before breaking, “Why are you still moping? Sokka and Aang are awake. well, Aang is missing, but you’re usually more upbeat than this.”

She snorts. “Miss the sappiness, Toph?”

“In your dreams.” She pauses. “I got used to it and now I’m bored. How am I supposed to make fun of you if you aren’t sappy?”

“How’s this then? Sokka’s disappointed in me because I’m scared. What, like it’s _easy_ to test the boundaries of the universe and wonder if the next thing you do won’t snap you or your friends in half?”

There’s a silence after the outburst.

“I really don’t understand teenagers,” Toph says, unperturbed. “Is it always ‘ _the universe this and that_ ,’ or are you guys special circumstances?”

(Y/n) scratches behind Momo’s ears. The little creature was purring into her hand, body curled up on her lap happily. At least he’s okay. “I’m sure you won’t go through it.”

“Thank the spirits. Besides, if it were up to the universe, I’d be a blind, useless, rich girl being coddled by her parents.” Toph faces her, those cloudy eyes fixing on her, and despite how unfocused they are, she can feel the weight of the look. “But now I’m a blind, rich, master earthbender with actual friends. The universe doesn’t have power over you no matter what you think. Stop being scared of ‘what ifs’ and break boundaries. Take what you want.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“That’s what cowards say.”

(Y/n) rolls her eyes. “What if the universe _does_ have powers, like say, making you travel between worlds to fix something?”

Toph snorts. “If the universe has the power to make travelling between worlds possible, it has the power to fix the problem without involving anyone else.”

Fuck, that’s _brilliant_.

(Y/n)’s fingers tap against the ground and Toph’s head cocks to the side before she mimics it, patiently waiting for her to gather her thoughts. “So, what you’re saying is… I’m here for a reason but it’s up to me to do what I want with it?”

Toph’s brows furrow. “Aren’t we all? Geez, what is going on through that knuckle brain of yours? It’s not your duty to do anything unless you want to, Sap.”

It makes her lips uptick in a small smile. “Thanks, Toph. that’s pretty smart of you. I should talk to Sokka. Maybe make things better.”

Just then, Sokka gets up and makes a beeline for (Y/n), his eyes focused purely on her and she stands up to meet him in the middle.

Toph mumbles, “There’s the Sap I know.”

Sokka stops in front of her, just as eager to talk, and they both settle down against the saddle. their fingers brush.

“I want to go first,” Sokka says, his voice serious, but gentle. He’s gradually become gentle with her, in his touches, in his smiles, even as they fight, he does also to check himself, and (Y/n) thinks she owes him the same. Her heart races as he slowly lifts up his hand and wraps it around hers, soothing and apologetic in the soft caress his thumb brushes over her knuckles.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how bad it was for you and I kept expecting you to do things when you were uncomfortable. It’s hard enough to think you’re from some different world and all I wanted was to speed things up, make things better, but I didn’t really think about how you felt about it.” Sokka sighs, pressing into her palm softly, eyes glued to hers as they shine in the moonlight like a shimmering ocean of blue and grey. “You’ve lost a lot and I understand it’s hard to do something that risks losing more. I shouldn’t have pushed you about this, especially when you weren’t ready to talk about it.”

Her heart warms, practically glowing red when he presses closer to her, his gentle breaths steady and all she can hear between them. (Y/n) gathers her courage, takes strength from his encompassing hands as she begins rubbing back over his long fingers, over the small, white scars on his thumb he got from getting poked by fishhooks, and runs her fingers over the bumps of his knuckles to his rough palm. As she catches his breath hitch, (Y/n) feels intimate. It’s something new and rare between them as she ponders her words, but she’s afraid she will keep touching his hands forever, so she finally twines their fingers together and looks up. Sokka’s cheeks are stained a darker shade all the way up to his ears, but his eyes are soft and his smile is softer.

“Thanks, Sokka,” (Y/n) says, “I—I am still scared, but what you said makes sense. I’ve already changed things just by being here.” B _y wanting you_. “And maybe pushing things might work but it’ll take time for me to stop being scared. I honestly don’t know if I’ll be ready but I’m here for a reason. And it doesn’t need to be the reason the universe wants for me.”

Sokka’s eyes light up and her heart warms when he slowly tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear. He presses closer, cupping her cheek. Her breath hitches as he gently tilts her face up, his breath warms on her lips, a heady scent that has her lips parting and eyes hooding.

Her fingers find his tunic and curl into the fabric tightly, and where the last time she had done this was accompanied with smoke and pain, this time it’s with giddy hope and need. The closer they move, the faster her heart beats, _thunders_ like a storm, because his thumb brushes over her bottom lip and it sparks her nerves alight like lightning.

“Sokka,” she whispers and his eyes flutter close.

Just as she’s about to surge forward, Katara cries out, “I found Aang!”

Sokka and (Y/n) jump apart, startled.

Fuck.

 _Fuck_ _Katara_.

They almost _kissed_. (Y/n) reels, even as they stand up to see an island, where a small body is sprawled on the shore of it, and Sokka shares a somber smile with her, wishing they could get that moment back before they turn back to the island.

Toph behind them curses Katara under her breath. The pining was supposed to be over.

Just as Appa lands, they all leap off the saddle. Momo is the first to reach Aang. Momo jumps onto Aang's chest and licks Aang's cheek, awakening him, and then hops off Aang as he groans and sits up.

Katara skids to her knees to cradle Aang’s head to hug him tight. “You’re okay!” She says in relief.

They all hug Aang in a group, and he sighs. He breaks away. 

“I have so much to do.” Aang says, troubled.

“I know, but you'll have our help.” (Y/n) nudges him. She wraps an arm around him to steady him on his feet.

Toph folds her arms. Even through her tough tone, they can see he concern. “You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?”

Aang looks up at Sokka. “What about the invasion?”

“We'll join up with my dad and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse.”

“Hey, what's...” Toph suddenly reaches out and grabs Aang's broken and burnt glider from out of the water. “Oh... it's your glider.” She hands it back to him and a flash of pain passes through his expression.

He swallows. “That's okay. If someone saw it, it would give away my identity. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive.”

Aang turns around and jumps onto a mound that is trickling out lava. Solemnly, Aang spins the glider above his head and slams it into the lava end first before jumping away.

As it’s consumed into flames, he joins them once more.

They have a lot of work to do.  
  



	2. Book 3: Chapter 2: My Name's Aang and I'm Your Freestyle Dance Teacher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This episode features a dance party, a pretend relationship where there's barely any pretense in it (c'mon, guys, try a lil harder), and Katara getting jealous of losing Aang's attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooooo boy I was supposed to post this a few days ago but I just... blanked? This is a strange month because I don't remember any of it wth. 
> 
> I should honestly describe this book as "How Many Times Sokka and (Y/n) Will Almost Kiss." There's not much change to this story because there's no way to further my plot in this episode. Sooooo, I got a little indulgent, alright? 
> 
> I love you guys, stay safe and warm, and take care of yourselves!!
> 
> Anyways, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, cuties! This is my present to y'all!

Being in the Fire Nation was a lot craggier and rockier than (Y/n) expected.

Getting a view by a hidden shore of water, (Y/n) leads them behind rocks and shadows in the cloudy day. She’s the only one on foot to try and find a spot while the others are on Appa’s saddle. Any stray walkers from the Fire Nation coming their way shouldn’t spot them, especially with their mixed, colourful garb.

Aang pops his head up behind (Y/n) where she’s peeking over to scout the place and he points, “I think I see a cave below.”

“ _Shush_... keep quiet!” Sokka snaps, tugging tiredly at Appa’s leash. the bison groans as his six feet kick up dust, making Sokka sneeze.

What’s even crazier is the cloud Aang props over them, because despite how high on the mountain of the island they are on, no cloud is supposed to be that low in the sky.

When (Y/n) scales down the place and checks the dark, dry cave, she finds it full of rock, weaving into a small tunnel before opening up into a cavern, and although there are a couple of scurrying rat-coons around, it’s relatively empty and safe. She goes to the entrance where the cloud hovers uncertainly above in the air, and when she waves cheerily, it’s the sign that all’s clear.

The cloud disperses with a blast of airbending and Sokka jumps down. “Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud who knows how to keep its mouth shut.”

Toph rolls her eyes. “Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in.”

“Hey! We're in enemy territory. Those are enemy birds.” He points upward to four of the enemy, perched on a rock just behind him. One hops down onto his head and squawks plaintively.

When they look at the empty cave, Sokka sighs loud enough for it to echo. “Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave...after cave...after cave...” His head drops further to his chest with each repetition of the word.

“Sokka, we don't need to become cave people.” Katara toys with her tunic and says, “What we need is some new clothes.”

“Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out. If we get Fire Nation disguises, we'll be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave.”

Toph agrees with Aang wholeheartedly. “Plus...they have real food out there. Does anyone wanna sit in the dirt and eat cave-hoppers?” She punches the cave wall and several hoppers hop out. Momo catches one and begins chowing down.

They all take a step back, repulsed. When they turn to (Y/n), she smiles and shows them the multiple rips and scorch marks on her clothes. “No matter how many times I get new clothes, they get ruined. Might as well treat myself.”

Sokka turns to Momo. “Looks like we got outvoted, sport. Let's get some new clothes.”

They sneak their way into the town, hiding behind bushes or letting Toph cover them with rock until they’re safe, peeking over the fence of a nearby laundry. Several outfits of clothing are hung on lines outdoors, suspended over steam vents.

Aang looks apprehensive as he studies the varying reds. “I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody.”

(Y/n) is the first to leap over the fence after blurting, “The two-piece is mine!” She ducks behind the clothes to avoid being caught by the lazy, sunbathing man facing the other side, snatches the red garment off its clips, and bolts to the other side.

Katara is next. “I call the silk robe!” She runs to her prize and joins (Y/n), giggling.

Aang is contemplative while the whole time, Sokka is looking at them with a flat expression. “But if it's essential to our survival...then I call the suit!” Aang leaps and tugs at it with a gleeful smile.

Unlike the others, Sokka just takes one glance at the napping attendant and just… _walks_ to the line, snags his outfit, and then takes another one for Toph, who gratefully takes it as they walk over.

When they go back to the cave, they undress from their old clothes and stash them in their bags before donning on the new outfits.

Made of plain, dark red material, (Y/n)’s top consists of a deep brown high-collared, sleeveless shirt that is clasped several times in the front, stopping above her bellybutton. High-waisted rich red pants that are cuffed at the ankles with gold, with a brown belt, with flat, brown boots completing the look.

Aang ends up tying the belt from his suit around his forehead to conceal his arrow tattoo, and when he’s done, (Y/n) wanted to coddle him because he looks adorable.

“Ta-dah! Normal kid.” He exclaims with a bright smile.

Toph is sitting down on a rock, contemplating the shoes she’s wearing. “Hmm...I should probably wear shoes, but then I won't be able to see as well. Sorry, shoes!” She brings her knee up to her chest, pulling on the shoe's upper part and popping out the sole with her foot, which propels it into Sokka's face. She stands up and evaluates her new customized footwear. “Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender.”

Katara steps out as she asks, “How do I look?”

Aang’s eyes trail from her shoes to her face, getting redder by the second because she looks so pretty in her outfit. even her hair is in a half ponytail, dropping thickly down her back in waves.

Aang points to her neck. “Uh...your mom's necklace.”

Katara winces as she touches it tenderly. “Oh...oh, yeah. I guess it's pretty obviously Water Tribe, isn't it?” So, she removes it and tucks it safely into Sokka’s bag.

Then, they make their way to the town, this time in open view, and their discomfort fades away the longer people seem to be nonchalant towards them.

They buy some accessories, all fire-themed. Katara buys a thick neckware that is tight against her throat. Toph buys herself a near gold coloured headband that she pushes atop her bun, and Sokka buts a topknot clasp, where he brings his thick brown hair up into a topknot before slitting on the gold clasp. It matches his belted outfit where his pants cuff just below the knees with maroon, and he’s fitted his feet in sandals.

(Y/n), instead, buys a golden hairclip. it’s in the shape of a flower that has fire sparks carved into it. She lets her hair loose from its tight braid, because she knows they’re not gonna be in a fight anytime soon. She pins back a lock of hair to the side of her head and lets the rest blow gently in the wind.

When the others see her, they’re in varying states of shock. Katara has her hands clapped to her mouth and Aang points at her hair.

“Your hair!” Aang screeches.

(Y/n) tugs on her hair self-consciously. “What? Does it look bad?”

“It’s free!”

Toph only tilts her head in mild confusion. “Her hair’s been tied the entire time?”

Sokka’s mouth is open and he’s staring and staring. (Y/n) blushes until he sucks in a breath before stalking away, and she stares after him with furrowed brows.

She scratches her head. “Maybe he doesn’t like the clip?”

Katara jogs after him, catching his elbow, and she can see Sokka clutching his chest. “Why’d you run away?”

Sokka clutches his head, looking physically pained. “She’s _so_ pretty, Katara. _Katara_ —” he shakes his sister, watching from around a corner as (Y/n) helps stuff Momo’s ears beneath Aang’s coat where he’s hiding. “Spirits, how—I’m going to _die_ , Katara.”

Katara grins. “That’s a little overdramatic, Sokka.”

“Then ask Toph! I’m pretty sure she can hear my heart beat out of my chest!”

“It’s true, his heart is beating dangerously fast.”

They both shriek as they face Toph behind them, her arms crossed.

“Don’t do that!” Katara scolds. “Sokka, come on, just give her a compliment before she thinks you’re weird.”

“She already thinks I’m weird!” He wails.

“And she’s still here, isn’t she?” Toph says bluntly. “I think she thrives off your weirdness because she’s just as crazy as you are.”

Sokka ponders that for a moment. when he glances back, (Y/n) is laughing with Aang and his heart stutters once more. “(Y/n)’s great, isn’t she?”

Katara nods, biting back a smile because Sokka looks like a lovesick puppy. “So, did you find a strap yet?”

“I’m still searching. Most of these shops don’t have what I want, and I can’t even find a rock. And don’t get me started on the designs.”

Toph’s brows knit. “Strap? What’s all this for?”

Sokka squeaks. “None of your business. Strictly Water Tribe sibling issues, go back to terrorizing the ants.”

She huffs and walks away. Katara crosses her arms. “You do know that Toph could be helpful, right? She’s the master of rocks and could make the perfect one for you.”

“I don’t want anyone to do this for me,” he says, a hand digging into his pocket furiously. “I need to do this by myself.”

“A little help really wouldn’t hurt. Just think about it, alright?”

They meet up back with the others where Toph seems to give him a dirty look before stomping away.

As they stroll through the open bazaars, Aang takes long looks around as if he’s noticing the changes. “I used to visit my friend Kuzon here a hundred years ago. So, everyone just follow my lead and stay cool. Or as they say in the Fire Nation - Stay flamin'!”

(Y/n) winces. She wants to take Aang and like, put him in a time-out or a cage to stop him from— _oh, there he goes._

“Greetings, my good Hotman!” Aang says cheerily to a man eating a meat shish-kebab on the sidewalk.

The citizen pauses, an eyebrow raised. “Uh, hi. I guess?”

“Aang, maybe you’re a little out of date?” (Y/n) suggests to the confused boy. He merely shrugs.

Sokka reroutes them to an open shop where a man is chopping up meat. Aang stops in his tracks, uncomfortable. “Oh, we're going to a meat place?”

“Come on, Aang. Everyone here eats meat... even the meat!” Sokka points to the nearby cow-hippo that greedily chomps up a pile of fly-blown fish on the grass.

It’s as disgusting as it sounds.

Aang is still unconvinced. “You guys go ahead. I'll just get some lettuce out of the garbage.”

They shrug, and (Y/n) watches him as he retreats off down the other street. soon, Aang will be captured by a few guards and be taken to a fire nation school. Hopefully, he’ll be okay.

Something brushes by her hand and she finds Sokka’s hand there. when she turns up to him, she’s met with his concerned expression. “Is he going to be in trouble?”

(Y/n) cracks a smile. “Define trouble?”

Sokka does look like he’s going to smile back. “Is it going to be bad?”

That’s… so vague. Ever since she’s told him about the alternate universe she travelled from, he’s not being disbelieving, per se, but rather, on guard. Not against her, thank the spirits, but rather more paranoid. He relies heavily on plans, especially back-up plans, and any advantage—such as knowing what’s gonna happen in the near future—is something he looks for.

Which is why, every single time they’ve been on flight, he’s been sending her questioning looks as if he’s trying to gauge her expression if something bad is going to happen or asking her softly if they’re going to be okay.

And now, he knows she’s worried about Aang and now he’s worried, too. and that upsets her more for… some reason. Perhaps she just doesn’t like seeing Sokka worried so much.

“It’ll be fine,” she says reassuringly, before gently weaving their fingers together and tugging him to the shops. “Can you buy me something else for my hair? I don’t know if I like this clip.”

Sokka’s face softens as his thumb brushes along the top of her hand. “Sure,” he says, allowing her to take him away from Katara and Toph, who went to watch a theatrical show in the square. Toph doesn’t look particularly pleased obviously, but (Y/n) notices the subtle movement of her foot that aligns perfectly with one or another of the actors tripping slightly over uneven stone.

“The clip looks very cute on you,” Sokka mumbles, face flaring in heat. (Y/n) rewards him with a beaming smile that makes him blush harder. “And it’s great for an occasion that doesn’t need you to kick ass. Do you still wanna get something you can wear while you fight?”

(Y/n) purses her lips. “Hm, maybe. I don’t want my hair to get in the way. Good idea, let’s get something for that.”

Sokka grins. “Then I have the perfect thing for you.” He leads her to a stall that has pair of thin sticks, some made of metals, wood, and some that even look like they were carved out of white bone. Many of them have their tips attached to small jewels or designs, and some are of different sizes ranging from small pins to ones longer than her palm.

(Y/n) touches a wooden one. “What are these?”

“Hair sticks.” Sokka supplies. “They’re like hair pins, but much more efficient because they can pin up bigger hairbuns and styles. They’re easy and quick to put your hair up before a fight, and if you’re in a tough spot, at least you have something pointy to stab someone. Wanna try one?”

She nods eagerly, and picks up a thin black metal pair, with a tiny yellow gem embedded in the top of both sticks. They’re long and sleek and she loves the feel of them. “Can we get this one? They’re very pretty. And sharp.”

he huffs a small laugh before fishing out enough coins to pay the vendor. The hair sticks are wrapped up in a silk cloth before being placed in a thin wooden box with a lid that can slide open. “Katara can teach you how to put it up properly later. I know she used to help grandma with it. What else do you want to do?”

“Let’s grab some food. I can hear your stomach growling.”

“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

After eating some nice kebabs and dumplings and buying a sack of extra food, they start searching for Aang, which of course, was futile because he was nowhere to be found. When Sokka casts (Y/n) a concerned glance, she shakes her head, so they head back to the cave.

Katara looks exceptionally stressed out as she paces the floor of the cave. Sokka lights up a campfire with lines of meat roasting atop it and (Y/n) feeds Appa some cabbage and lettuce heads she had bought, and he happily munches on them as she pets him.

Finally, Aang comes back by twilight, Katara leaping to her feet to meet him. “Where have you been?” She screeches. “We've been worried sick!”

Aang is covered in burn marks and (Y/n) laments this. They’ll have to either clean out his uniform or get him a new one. Can they even afford this anymore? And where is Sokka getting all this money from?

“I got invited to play with some kids after school.”

Sokka stands up, squawking. “After _what_?”

Aang happily claps his hands. “I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow.”

“Enrolled in _what?!”_

Sokka keels over and hits the ground.

(Y/n) sighs and shakes her head. “You really have to stop pulling stunts like these. He’s gonna die from stress one day. I’m gonna get some water. Oh, and there’s a plate of veggies and fruits for you, Aang.”

Aang beams. “Thanks, (Y/n)! I’m starving!”

When she throws a bit of water on Sokka, he jolts awake and they gather around the campfire to hear Aang’s reasoning. He tells them what’s he’s learned about the Fire Nation in just one day and what more he can learn tomorrow, too.

Sokka looks so hesitant, that when he turns to (Y/n), it looks like he’s saying, ‘ _this isn’t something to worry about?_ ’ But instead, he says, “Aang, I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea. But it sounds... really terrible.”

“Yeah, we got our outfits.” Toph reasons. “What do you need to go to school for?”

“Every minute I'm in that classroom. I'm learning new things about the fire nation. I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai.” Aang holds up one poster. and then he pulls up another handcrafted one. “And here's one that I made out of noodles!”

Sokka hums. “Impressive, I admit. But I still think it's too dangerous.”

“I guess we'll never find out about the secret river then. It goes right to the Fire Lord's palace. We were supposed to learn about it in class tomorrow...”

(Y/n) smiles. “Let him have another day at it. It might be fun for him, too.”

Hmm... I am a fan of secret rivers.” Sokka finally relents. “Fine, let's stay a few more days.”

Aang grins. “Flamey-o, Hotman!” He runs off in excitement.

Sokka turns to his sister. “Flamey-o?”

She just shrugs her shoulders.

*

The next day, Aang comes in with an apprehensive expression on his face and Sokka crosses his arms, glaring down at the boy, who seems like he’s shrinking every second. “ _What_ did you do?”

Aang’s hands are behind his back and with his gaze fixed to the floor, he mumbles, “I got into a fight.”

Sokka’s eyes blow wide. “You got into a fight? It’s only been the second day!”

(Y/n) pops up next to him and clutches Aang’s arms, worried. “More importantly, did you win?”

Aang snickers, nodding. “I made him look like an idiot.” And he receives a proud pat before she ushers him to grab some food.

Sokka grows red with frustration. “So, are you in trouble?”

Aang freezes. “Right. about that.”

*

The headmaster’s office is panelled with brown wood and there’s a mahogany desk where the headmaster sits behind. Right on top of him, hanging on the wall, is the obligatory portrait of Firelord Ozai.

When Sokka and (Y/n) walk in with Aang in tow, they share a tired look. She once more adjusts the shawl around herself that houses a small, cushioned bump near her stomach like some pretend pregnancy thanks to Toph’s idea. There are three seats available where they sit in the order of Sokka, Aang, and then (Y/n).

The School Headmaster looks up from his bespectacled glasses and dimly says, “Thank you for coming, Mr. And Mrs...”

Sokka toys with the fake moustache above his lips as he says, “Fire! Wang Fire. This is my wife, Sapphire.”

(Y/n) smiles. “Sapphire Fire, nice to meet you.”

The School Headmaster eyes them dubiously. “Mr. and Mrs... _Fire_ , your son has been enrolled here for two days, and he's already causing problems. He's argued with his history teacher, disrupted music class, and roughed up my star pupil.”

She gasps. “My goodness! That doesn't sound like our Kuzon.”

“That's what any mother would say, ma'am. Nonetheless, you're forewarned. If he acts up one more time, I'll have him sent to reform school...” His expression cuts steel. “... by which I mean the coal mines. Are we clear?”

“Kuzon is a sweet boy,” (Y/n) says, touching Aang’s shoulder. She casts Sokka an evil eye. “Maybe the reason he’s acting up is because his father never makes time for him.”

Sokka looks legitimately caught off-guard. Then he catches the mischievous glint in her eyes, and he says, “I put food on the table for this child. I expect him to be on his best behaviour. Maybe you’re not raising him right.”

She gasps louder. “You are his role model!” She grasps Aang’s shoulders to make him face Sokka. “Look at him, Wang! He misses you! _I_ miss you!”

“And I miss the delicious kebab skewers you used to make! What happened to those, huh?”

“What happened is you keep buying fish instead of meat.” (Y/n) scowls. “I keep a list out for things to buy and you say you don’t need it because ‘ _I can remember them all, Sapphire_ ,’ and then you forget to bring anything!”

Sokka’s eyes narrow. Aang shares an awkward look with the Headmaster. “They’re going through things,” he admits sheepishly.

That snaps them out of their argument, and they face the Headmaster. (Y/n) keeps her head down, unwilling to show anyone how much she’s fighting back a smile. 

Sokka chokes on a laugh, coughing to hide it, and turns to Aang. “Don't you worry, Mr. Headmaster. I'll straighten this boy out somethin' fierce. Young man, as soon as we get home, you're gonna get the punishment of a lifetime!”

The School Headmaster seems a little appeased, almost sadistically. “That's what I like to hear.”

They get up to leave and Sokka is swaggering proudly...the role of overbearing father figure seems to suit him. When they’re out of school fences, they chuckle.

He shakes his head at her. “You just had to make my life more difficult, didn’t you?”

(Y/n) shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. Fire.”

Sokka wrangles her into a chokehold and she breaks out into laughter, smacking his arms. “You’re a menace. Look at our child, he’s abhorred by us.”

Aang’s nose scrunches up. “I’m gonna run ahead. I don’t wanna be here for this.” and he books it to the cave.

Sokka finally releases her and his fingers lightly brush her hair. “The hair sticks suit you. Did Katara teach you how to use them?”

(Y/n) nods eagerly. Her hair is bunned up loosely, with the hair sticks pinning them in a cross, the bejewelled tips at the top shining. “And it holds my hair up so well! She’s gonna teach me how to do it with one hand later!”

Sokka can’t get over how cute she is. Her face scrunches up into a wide grin and he wonders how much longer he’ll have to go without kissing her. “I’m gonna have to straighten Aang out when we get back,” Sokka muses. “This is gonna be fun, I love bossing people around.”

“Oh, do you? I hadn’t noticed.” (Y/n) snickers. “Let the boy live a little.”

“He’s putting us at risk.”

“Definitely,” she agrees, looping her arm in his as they walk down the street road. “But he’s also finally experiencing a real childhood, y’know? Let him have it for a bit before you plan to crush his bald little heart.”

“He’s not bald anymore,” Sokka points out as she hums sadly. “So, um, I was gonna ask but… when are you gonna tell the others the truth?”

The truth. Right. About her universe thing. That’s not going to be an easy conversation to have with the others. Surprisingly, being the sceptical one of the group hadn’t made Sokka believe her any less. She hasn’t really figured out how to prove to them that she isn’t from here. She voices it.

“I honestly don’t know, Sokka. I’m surprised you still took my word for it.”

He holds up his finger, grinning. “See, it’s because I know when you lie. But if you wanna prove it to me, tell me what happens next.”

(Y/n) nods, smiling. “Well, we’re gonna go to the others, and then Aang’s gonna announce he’s hosting a secret dance party for the Fire Nation students.”

Sokka’s eyes grow wide. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was. Can you dance? Doesn’t matter, you’re gonna dance.”

He snorts. “Just you try, Sunshine.”

Her cheeks heat up and she looks away, trying to stop her heart from beating so erratically. He... he says the nickname so easily and spirits, does he fucking know how much that tiny thing affects her? What if he does more, would she have cardia arrest if he kisses her? “You—you stopped calling me Stumpy.”

“Give me a little credit. It stopped being funny after the first two hundred times.” Sokka laughs with her.

She doesn’t ask where Sunshine came from.

“Anyways, I think I’ll tell them soon,” she says, “When I’m ready.”

When they finally get back to the cave, Sokka turns to Aang. “That settles it. No more school for you, young man!” He straightens up and strokes his beard imperiously.

Aang shakes his head. “I'm not ready to leave. I'm having fun for once, just being a normal kid. You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time.”

Toph laughs mockingly. “Ha, ha.”

Sokka scowls and crosses his arms, even as (Y/n) hides a chuckle.

“Listen, guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we wanna change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom.”

Sokka’s eyes dart to (Y/n), where she smiles smugly. “What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?”

Aang grins. “I'm gonna throw them...” He does a quick tap dance flourish. “...a secret dance party!”

The others are stunned and Sokka sucks in a breath. Now he knows once and for all, that she’s telling the truth. It doesn’t make him easier on Aang as he shouts, “Go to your room!”  
  
*

As night falls, the GAang is roped into preparing for the dance party. While Toph earthbends a bandstand from the cave floor, (Y/n) brings over a couple of drums and strange flute-looking instruments, as well as a big, bulky Tsungi horn. Sokka is arranging candles to give the cave a nice glow.

“I can't believe we're having a dance party.” Sokka grumbles as he takes a lit match and begins lighting the candles. “It seems so... silly.”

Aang tightens his headband. “Don't think of it as a dance party, but as a cultural event celebrating the art of fancy footwork.” He demonstrates his fancy footwork as Katara bends beverage into an earthbended punchbowl to the side.

Toph suddenly freezes. “They're coming! Everyone, stop bending!”

Appa is sadly shuffled into a tunnel at the back of the cave, where the sky bison moans sadly, but (Y/n) lets Aang use their pile of veggies to sate Appa.

when the kids get there, some of them who are in the band go to the stands and pick up instruments to play, quick, sharp tones that echoes through the cavern, and strangely, for a group of kids that have been taught mainly classical boring tunes, this one comes jazzy and upbeat.

Aang leaps exultantly in front of the crowd of Fire Nation kids who titter nervously. He spreads his arm wide and grandly announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, The Flamey-os! Yeah, this ought to get everybody moving.”

It does not. They’re still huddled together, uncertain about everything.

“Now what do we do?” One boy asks quietly.

“This is when you start dancing.”

Another boy whines as his head disappears into his collar like a turtle's into its shell. “I don't think my parents want me dancing in a cave.”

“Yeah, what if someone finds out?”

Aang winces. He takes a stand before them, using what they call his mediating tone. “Oh, boy. Listen, guys...dancing isn't something you think about. It's a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you.”

The first boy perks up. “Maybe it was different in the colonies, Kuzon. But we don't do that here.”

“Sure, you do.” Aang replies, much to their shock. “You have for generations. It just so happens that I know several classic Fire Nation dances. A hundred years ago, this was known as "The Phoenix Flight."” He runs in a circle, squatting and kicking his legs in the fashion of Russian folk dance, his arms stretched straight out behind him in imitation of wings. The students look with awe.

As Aang demonstrates what he calls the ‘Camelephant Strut,’ Sokka is shaking his head. “I’m embarrassed on behalf of Aang,” he sighs. “He looks like an idiot.”

Aang turns a somersault through the air and lands in front of two girls, who giggle, flushed and embarrassed. He somersaults backwards and lands expertly on one foot, bowing. The students gasp, and little by little the music seeps into them, starting with the tiniest foot tap and finger twitch against the thigh.

Toph seems mildly impressed. “Who knew Twinkletoes could dance?”

“And this is called ‘The Macarena,’ my friend (Y/n) taught me!”

(Y/n) blushes as he points to her and she gives them a wave before Aang starts doing the steps to the dance. The students look with awe, some in the back quietly mimicking Aang. Finally, Aang somersaults through the air, lands in front of On Ji, a young girl who looks away bashfully. A friend nudges her and she looks up at Aang, who extends his hand to her. She blushes as he leads her out to the dance floor.

“And this is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se.” He begins leading her across the floor with On Ji.

Sokka hums as he sips punch. “Wow, they look pretty good together.”

However, Katara dismissively turns away. “Eh, if that's what you like.” But she still steals a jealous glance at the couple.

Soon, more of the kids join Aang and On Ji, slowly dancing to the beats, and Aang nods, happy as he encourages them to freestyle.

(Y/n) holds out her hand to Sokka, who is leaning against the cave wall, watching with mild boredom. His blue eyes flick up to meet her bright smile. “No,” he says with a huff. “I don’t do complicated footsteps, thank you.”

“It isn’t complicated. That’s the beauty about freestyle.” When he doesn’t budge, her eyes twinkle mischievously, and (Y/n) presses a hand near his head, leaning down, and his face turns bright red as her breath fans across his lips. They are _so_ very close, and (Y/n) feels a rush of adrenaline in her blood as she leans closer to him. His breath hitches when she murmurs, “Dance with me, Sokka.”

His soul nearly leaves him. He can only focus on her smooth lips, her piercing eyes, and the fact that she’s nearly pressed against him, every part of him aching to reach out and close the gap. It’s as if his body is on autopilot when he nods. The smile widens and he’s glad he agreed just to see how happy (Y/n) is. She grabs his arm and takes him to the dance floor.

Sokka stands there stiffly, his sandals tapping awkwardly on the ground as (Y/n) studies him.

“Loosen up!” She shouts, and Sokka send her a helpless look. (Y/n) pauses in her dance to say, “This is what we call in our world ‘All the Single Ladies.’” Her knees bend repeatedly as her hands shuffle in between the space.

Sokka bites his lip to stop himself from laughing out loud. “I am very much a single man; I don’t think this suits me. Your world has the strangest things.”

“Oh, you have no idea.” (Y/n) tries a different tactic. She takes his right hand in hers and wraps her other around his waist, bringing them closer.

Sokka looks down, brows knit anxiously. It takes everything in her not to stare at his mouth. “Now what?” he asks, voice cracking. His warm hand gently rests on her shoulder, a thumb brushing lightly at her pulse and making it spike.

“Now, you let me lead.” And she drags him across the floor in swooping steps, making him laugh when she pauses to do a little hip wiggle that he copies before she’s sending him rolling outwards. When he rolls back in, his back is pressed to her front, arms wrapped around his chest as they sway. Her chin barely reaches to tuck over his shoulder, and her breath is hot against his neck.

Sokka feels every place of contact burn with delight.

“Enjoying yourself?” (Y/n) asks, smiling against his neck. They sway once more before Sokka is twirling and facing her once more.

He grins. “It isn’t too bad. You’re rather short.”

“That’s because I’m doing the male’s part.”

“That’s good because it’s too much of a hassle to be in charge of this,” Sokka replies lightly, and then they just gently shuffle around. He suddenly snorts. “Aang’s finally made a move.”

“What!” (Y/n) hurriedly turns them so that she can see Aang dancing with Katara, gaining all the attention. She squeals. “Sokka, he’s doing it. Aang’s finally becoming a man!”

Sokka turns them around again to sneak a peek and he gasps. “My man’s smooth, he’s even giving her the eye-contact.”

“What eye-contact?”

Sokka pulls his head back to connect gazes. “You know, the one where you… you stare at the person you like really deeply.” His blue eyes shimmer focussed wholly on her. All of a sudden, (Y/n) feels time still, sounds tuning out, all but Sokka’s voice, the way it awakens something in her. His hand is slow and careful as it winds up around her neck, tilting her forward, and (Y/n)’s heart is hammering thinking, ‘ _this is it. This is finally happening,_ ’ but when her eyes flicker down to his soft mouth, a strange sound escapes her throat.

“Why is your moustache still on?”

Sokka breathes against her lips. “If I could remove it, I would. It would make this so much better.”

(Y/n)’s eyes dart to his lips. “Make… make what better?”

Sokka leans down, taking his time. it’s like he’s waiting for her to pull away, to say something to stop him. And she doesn’t want to. There’s nothing stopping her now, is there? Sokka knows everything about her. He trusts her and he cares about her, and she feels the same about him.

So… there’s absolutely nothing stopping her from swooping down to capture his waiting lips.

Except for the tingle at the back of her head. She pulls away sharply and is in time to see Sokka crack his eyes open, a sudden flash of hurt in his expression before he hears it, too. His head cocks to the side.

They are the only two away from the group, near the tunnel leading out to the entrance of the cave, and they can hear the rapid footsteps coming to them.

Soon enough though, they find out someone snitched on them. (Y/n) finally realizes the saying ‘Snitches Get Stitches,’ because she really wanted to stab the kid that decided to bring officials to stop their party and interrupt her near-kiss with Sokka. This has been happening too often.

They leave in the usual GAang style — by the skin of their teeth — but Aang has already made allies with the students, who had their eyes opened to the beauty of dance and self-expression.

With a ton of pretending from the students, they escape down the tunnel where Appa had traversed. Aang winks at his friends one last time before bending a slab of earth to cover the tunnel.

They leap on Appa’s saddle and take off into the sky, taking cover into the night. Katara turns to her brother. “We're safe, Sokka. You can take off the moustache, now.”

Smugly, Sokka says, “Oh, no, I can't. It's permanently glued to my skin.” He strokes it, unaccountably pleased with himself.

Toph punches Aang’s shoulder. “Way to go, Dancypants. I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free.”

“I don't know. It was just a dance party, that's all.”

(Y/n) shakes her head. “No, that was the start of something, Aang. soon, they’ll realize they can’t be caged forever. You’ve shown them what you’re fighting for.”

Katara adds, “And that was some dance party, Aang.” She leans over and kisses him on the cheek. He blushes.

Sokka is rocking lazily back and forth and clapping his hands slowly like a tranced-out beatnik. “Flamey-o, sir. Flame-ee-o.”  
  



	3. Book 3: Chapter 3: Sokka's Master; Or: The Time Kim Was A Stubborn Prick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Sokka losing confidence as a member of the team, it's up to the GAang to help him find something he wants to specialize in, and they find it in swords and discipline. 
> 
> However, Kim, in (Y/n)'s head, decides to wake up and participate in the real world after finding her rival in the form of an attentive, super crazy talented butler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoooboy I am so, so sorry. I can't believe the time ran so fast, because I still feel like I'm in December. I fucking forgot. There was suddenly someone commenting here whether I was okay and I jumped and went straight to my laptop. 
> 
> Hmmm 2am and I don't know what else I'm supposed to say, but I know I had a few things that'll come to me later. I love y'all and wanna hug every one of you. Take care of yourselves, drink water (my lips are parched goddamn), happy new year (I'm cramming everything just you watch me), try to sleep and a daily reminder to pinch your own cute cheeks (not the ass, the face, but if you wanna, cop a feel of your own butt, not gonna judge). when I realized I never pinched my own cheeks, I was horrified. 
> 
> Oh, I have exams, fuck meeee. Am I gonna study? Hm, I'm still debating, but that doesn't give you a pass, study as well as you can, but also, take it easy. And don't worry if I don't update, this next chapter is already a shitstorm to write and for some reason my brain thought it'd be okay to skip it and come back later, but fuck, procrastination loves to bite me in the ass. 
> 
> This is some self-indulgent shit, not gonna lie. 
> 
> *  
> BTW!
> 
> one user, embersandash made sokka and katara with artbreeder, and phew, I fucking loved it! Im not sure if I can link it here.
> 
> BUTTT if you go to the second chapter's comments, the link is under their old username victorianlovers!!!

For the third time that day, (Y/n)’s caught Sokka stooping low, very preoccupied with studying the dirt, and whenever she called him out, he snapped up with a bright red face and stuck his hands behind his back, feigning innocence. 

Katara would only smack her face as she walked away. 

And now, Sokka comes back from his weird excavation trip to join them in lying down on a makeshift roof that covers Appa, as they stare up into the night sky. Star twinkle in bunches and (Y/n) tries to trace lines between them. Her stomach cramps and she groans before sitting up.

Sokka’s brows raise as she stumbles to her feet. “Wow, Round Three already?”

(Y/n) sends him a dirty look. “Those fuckin’ berries,” she grumbles under her breath as (Y/n) walks off to their latrine hole far, _far_ away. 

Katara sighs. “Wow, this is amazing to watch.”

“Kind of makes you realize how insignificant we are,” Sokka adds, crudely. 

Toph, instead, shrugs. “Eh, you've seen nothing once, you've seen it 1,000 times.”

There is a sparkle in the sky, crackling sounds snapping around them as something shoots across the sky, a large meteorite that glows so bright it nearly blinds them as it enters the atmosphere and shoots towards the earth.

They all sit up, save for Toph, as they stare at the sight. Aang nearly gasps, “Oh, man. You've never not-seen anything like this.”

The meteorite gets closer, engulfed in hot blue fire as it soars through the air, whistling past their heads. It crashes in a huge, blue explosion off in the distance, causing him to shield his eyes. 

Toph leaps up in surprise. “That’s _huge!”_

They mount on Appa and fly towards the fiery meteor, its flames glowing yellows and oranges in the dark night, and when they look down the mountain where the meteorite crashed halfway through, they notice the small town nestled in the valley between mountains, right on-course for the space rock’s destruction of fire that runs down from its crater. 

“The fire is gonna destroy that town,” Katara says, horrified. 

“Not if we can stop it.” Aang snaps Appa’s leash.

Appa dives down and lands on the ground where the fire burns across the grassy lands, hot and smoky that it makes their eyes water. 

Only Katara stays on Appa, grabbing his reins as the others slide off. “There's a creek over here.” She points out further right. “I'll bend the water on to the fire.” Appa flies off. 

Aang turns to Toph, assuming a wide stance. “Toph, let's make a trench to keep the fire from coming any closer.”

Sokka is strangely silent, even his voice is low as he asks, “What should I do?”

“Keep an eye on Momo.” 

Momo flies to Sokka and lands on his head. Sokka pets him dejectedly. “So, what, I'm just a lemur-sitter? There, there. Feel better?”

Aang and Toph run towards the fire, arms swinging to cut a fissure through the ground in front of the fire. When they raise their hands and fling them to the sides, the earth bends into a trench and shoves the fire back. 

Flaming embers fall around them. Sokka frantically stamps one out with his club while Momo stamps out the rest and jumps back on Sokka's shoulders. Sokka looks back to see all the other fires put out and gives Momo a sour expression. 

Katara swoops in on Appa’s back, a huge orb of water above their heads she bends from the creek. As Appa flies over the fire, she sets it like a spray to put out the flames, extinguishing it with a loud hiss and a huff of smoke. 

Toph bends a huge, rectangular slab of stone to roll over the edges of the fire to stomp it out one last time. Aang takes the orb of water from Katara as Appa passes by overhead, and he bends it, shouting at Sokka. “Sokka, stand clear!”

Sokka nods from his sitting position. “Right. _Stand clear_ : got it.” He stands and picks up Momo before he walks away. 

Aang takes a deep breath and expends the water with a gust of wind. It explodes into a light shower of snow, raining down and catching a retreating Sokka by surprise. Momo escapes by flying off but the snow hits Sokka.

As Appa lands to drop Katara off, and Toph joins Aang as well, Aang grins, dusting his hands off. “Good work, everybody.”

Sokka emerges from a pile of snow, shoulders slumped as he watches them congratulate each other, with bitterness rising in him. 

“Hey!” 

They all turn to the voice and see someone sprinting towards them, shouting again. “You guys left me!” 

They meet (Y/n) halfway, who’s red in the face and out of breath as she jogs to them. “So, was no one going to call me after you decide to chase after a meteor or am I suddenly not important anymore?”

“To be fair, you did say you were…” Sokka’s finger bashfully points downwards, where her upset stomach is no longer upset. 

(Y/n) huffs, hands on her hips. “So, I ate a couple of rotten berries. You shouldn’t have left me there wondering if you left me! I wasn’t even taking that long.”

Katara winces. “We didn’t want to interrupt you?”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll admit that _was_ a good call. What did I miss anyway?”

Aang leaps up excitedly. “We saved a whole town from catching fire! Toph and I were like _boom-boom_ and Katara was all swish ‘ _I’m gonna drown you!’_ It was awesome!”

“Yeah,” Sokka mutters, “Awesome.”

(Y/n)’s eyes dart to him for a split second and she notices how he can barely smile. She looks back at the sizzling meteor and her eyes grow wide. Oh… there were _here._

She can’t say anything more to him, both because she wasn’t really sure if it was her business to bring up the way Sokka feels in front of the others; maybe he isn’t ready to tell them, he’d do it tomorrow. But another reason she can’t talk about it is because Sokka walks back to Appa and dumps himself on the saddle in the corner, plucking at the string bracelet on his wrist, but in the darkness, there’s a small frown on his face.

Even though she has to follow the storyline, it doesn’t mean she can’t just… check up on him, right? Just to at least make sure he isn’t alone right now.

They all clamber onto Appa’s back, and the others are still thrumming with the adrenaline of the meteor debacle, chattering about it as Aang takes the reins and sets course for the campsite once more. (Y/n) carefully approaches Sokka and sits down next to him, twine of the saddle digging into her back as she leans on it and turns her face to him.

Sokka’s plucking turns faster, so she places her hand on his, gentle and reassuring, and it does the trick. Just as he had always calmed her frantic twitching when she got nervous or scared — she realizes that maybe the habit rubbed off onto him — it does the same for him. Warmth envelopes her as he immediately locks their fingers together, and the incessant plucking is replaced with smooth strokes along the top of her palm, methodical and grounding.

“What’s wrong?” (Y/n) asks, pushing her thumb nail to the top of his thumb, and he lifts his thumb, so their finger pads are brushing against each other. Strangely, it’s very therapeutic and lulls the mood into something easier as his shoulders relax.

“I’m alright,” Sokka replies quietly.

“That wasn’t the question.”

Sokka shoots her a weary look. “I — uh — not today, okay? I’m not feeling up to it.”

Her hand squeezes his. “Alright. I’m here either way.”

His lips twitch as he mumbles a soft, “Thanks, (Y/n).”

Not today, and that’s okay. Tomorrow, it is. But that doesn’t mean she can’t lift his mood, so (Y/n) digs into her pocket and brings out a handful of sunflower seeds. Nudging him, she points to the others in the front of the saddle. “Wanna pelt ‘em with seeds?”

He cracks a smile, finally, genuinely, and tosses a couple into his mouth. “Fuck, yeah.”

She’s created a monster.

*****

The small Fire nation town of Shu Jing is situated in the mountain next to a cliff overlooking a large river.

The GAang take a seat at an outdoor table where the breeze ruffles their hair and the cool water of the gurgling river is soothing to their ears compared to the harsh bustling sounds of the townspeople. They each have a tray of food for themselves, comparatively cheap for such a large amount of food and they take every chance to gorge themselves on it. Aang looks around at the other people feasting on their food happily. “These people have no idea how close they were to getting toasted last night.”

Using a pair of chopsticks, Toph plucks up a dumpling and eats it before speaking through her loud munching. “The worst thing about being in disguise is we don't get the hero worship anymore. I miss the love.”

“Boo-hoo, poor heroes.” The spiteful tone comes from Sokka, and they all turn to him, who’s sitting at the edge of the floor by himself. He doesn’t face them, but with the way his shoulders are hitched up to his ears, (Y/n) can sense just how bitter he feels.

“What's your problem?” Katara asks. “You haven't even touched your smoked sea slug.”

Sokka sighs and puts his tray down. “It's just... all you guys can do this awesome bending stuff like putting out forest fires, and flying around, and making other stuff fly around. I can't fly around, okay? I can't do anything.”

(Y/n) raises a brow, putting her chopsticks down. “I can’t do any of that either.”

“No, but you can literally _stop_ them from bending,” Sokka says. When (Y/n) goes to sit beside him, his eyes are shamefully averted. “You’re like, an anti-bender.”

His sister speaks up once more. “No one can make plans like you.”

“No one can read maps like you,” (Y/n) adds helpfully.

Toph pipes up, “I can't read at all.”

Aang nods as he slurps up his soup. “Yeah, and who keeps us laughing with sarcastic comments all the time? I mean, look at Katara's hair, right?” He grabs a lock of Katara's hair and gestures to it. “What's up with that?”

Her face blooms red as she looks nervously around, reaching up to cover her hair. “What? What's wrong with my hair?”

“Nothing, I was just trying to—”

“Look, I appreciate the effort,” Sokka interrupts, and if it was possible, his shoulders droop so low it’s like they’re dislocated. “But the fact is each of you is so amazing and so special, and I'm not. I'm just the guy in the group who's regular.”

(Y/n) lays her hand on his arm gently. “I'm sorry you're feeling so down, but I hope you know none of us see you that way.” His eyes lift up and they aren’t as bright.

“I know something that's gonna make you feel better!” Katara exclaims.

“You do?”

*

Katara slams the door to the shop open and when they all enter, Sokka’s face lights up with a smile and he claps his hands excitedly. “Shopping!” He cheers as he runs forward to examine the items.

There are weapons displayed on tall racks filling up half the store, and the other has armour of all kinds. there’s a metallic smell to this place, sharp and strong.

(Y/n) crosses her arms as she watches Sokka bounce from one side to the other, shrieking in delight every time something fancy catches his eye. She glances at Katara. “He seems happier.”

Katara shrugs. “He’s nothing short of a shopaholic.”

Sokka pulls out a nunchaku. “Maybe a little something to reinvigorate my battling. Hey, how about these?” He begins twirling the weapon and as it clinks above his shoulder and to his sides, he makes sound effects. “Ho-ya! Smack-a-dacka-doo!”

The nunchaku hits him over the head and Sokka falls over, knocking over a few of the poles weapons on the rack and making Toph flinch.

(Y/n) helps him up before stashing the nunchaku far away from him. “Maybe not those,” she suggests.

Sokka rubs his head before straightening up and agreeing. He wanders off to another rack.

On the other side, Katara fits on a pair of fancy, leather gloves. Aang calls her over, “What do you think? Pretty slick, huh?” She startles as she takes in the extremely stylized and complex suit of heavy, shiny armour, making him taller and pointier than he looks. Aang grins. “All I need to complete the outfit is a wind sword.”

Katara shields her eyes from the shine of the armour. “What's a wind sword?”

“It's where I get a sword handle. And then I just swing this around and bend air out like a blade.” Aang raises a sword handle a swings it around, making wind noises.

She backs away slowly. “Yeah... nice.”

The heavy armour creaks and begins to fall over. Aang, Unable to move anything but his arm, starts to panic. Katara tries to stop Aang from falling, but Aang and the armour hit the floor with a loud racket, clanging and thudding on the wooden floor. He groans, shucking off the rest clinging to him sadly. “I'll just stick to what I got.”

Sokka holds a pole-like weapon, with a blade at the end and he swings it up to one side, over his head, twirling it in a circle, and he would’ve looked super cool if it didn’t fly out of his hands and whip up to the ceiling with a loud clang.

The next weapon he picks up is an enormous, metal club that drags across the floor because it’s so heavy the veins in his neck bulge with the strain. It’s easy for her to convince him to abandon it and he pouts, but it doesn’t last too long before his eyes catch another weapon — twin swords.

He nearly chops off Toph’s head but by then Sokka’s energy is slowly decreasing, as is his excitement when he twirls a thick metal chain and ends up wrapping himself in it.

When (Y/n) bends down to untangle him, Sokka sighs into the ground, face pressed into the floorboard. “This is hopeless.”

“No,” she says, “There’s something here that might interest you.”

“Is this you being optimistic or you being all-knowing?”

(Y/n) hides a smile. “Just don’t use any of these pointy ones as a toothpick, alright?”

Sokka nods as the chains finally loosen, and he stretches his arms, leans over, and before she can properly react, he presses a sweet kiss to her cheek. “Next one, then,” he says absently, as if the very action of that kiss hasn’t stunned her into silence. Sokka walks off and toys with other weapons.

_Doom!_

(Y/n) absolutely collapses, falls on her butt as the spot he kissed burns, her cheeks heat up and she curls her arms into her face. Her chest hurts with how hard her heart is hammering, and if she thought a meteor could make the earth rumble, no one was prepared for how the ground shattered from her feet and swept her under.

 _What the fuuuuuuuuck?_ She can vaguely see Katara and Aang peeking over a corner, delighted, but all she can focus on is the thundering of her heart in her chest, echoing all the way up to her ears.

That was possibly the most daunting thing that has happened to her because… give a girl a warning! But at the same time, more. She wants more; one freakishly small, nice kiss is all it took to have her spiralling, her mind short-circuiting to replay the moment he leans in, puckers his soft lips, and brushes it on her cheek—THAT HE DOESN’T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE HAPPENED—

If that kiss was done out of some strange, absentminded cause, what would it feel like if Sokka truly kissed her, with his emotions and feelings backing up his passion? Would he cradle her face gently before pecking her lips slowly, and then his deep blue eyes would darken, would scream he needs more, look back up into hers, hypnotizing her with that sheer power he has by just a single, wanting, needy look. Would he lick his lips before he dives back in for another kiss, this one stronger? She would be putty in his arms, practically melted candle wax seeping through his fingers as he tightens his grip on her, drags her closer, a hint of a smile on his mouth as he tilts his head, drags a firm hand down her neck to grasp her waist, to burn at her clothes and seep into her skin like a brand.

Would he leave her lips to worship her neck? Would he litter kisses there, light along her ear and harder, bruising kisses down the skin of her neck?

Would he make her breathless?

She would want more. Forever.

“OOO!” Sokka’s voice cuts her out of her dream. (Y/n) belatedly realizes she’s been touching her lips with a dreamy look on her face before her ears turn pink with embarrassment. Also realizing she looks strange to anyone else passing her, (Y/n) picks herself up and dusts her clothes off hurriedly to join him.

Sokka is studying a long sword framed on the rack on a wall, positioned above several others, all less polished than this one. It’s a beautiful piece with a detailed dragon swirling along the scabbard, and Sokka leans closer, breathing out, “That's what Sokka's talking about.”

They gather around the sword to awe at it.

The shopkeeper behind them speaks up in a raspy voice. “You have a good eye. That's an original from Piandao, the greatest sword master and sword maker in Fire Nation history. He lives in the big castle up the road from here.”

Aang perks up and snaps his fingers. “That's it. That's what you needed all along, Sokka.”

Sokka frowns. “A sword?”

“Not the sword... a master.” As Sokka pulls the sword off the rack, (Y/n) realizes how perfectly it matches him. It’s not too bulky or showy, but its sleek blade compliments him, enhances him, shows them how truly potential he is. “We've all had masters to help us get better. You should see if you can study with Piandao.”

“That's a great idea.” Katara adds. “I could've never gotten to where I am without Master Pakku. Everyone needs a teacher.”

“I learned from badger moles. They don't talk, but they're still good teachers.” Toph says.

(Y/n) holds the scabbard as he pulls out the blade with a smooth move. “I learnt chi-blocking and martial arts from my Master Shang, and he always told me that having a master isn’t only about being taught, but also assisting in discovery. Maybe Piandao might help you find something about yourself.”

Sokka hums as he examines the glinting blade. “It would be nice to be a master swordfighter. All right, I'll talk to him.”  
  
*

Piandao’s castle—like all castles—is much bigger up close. The huge front gates that loom over Sokka cast shadows in the warm morning light. Climbing up that tall bluff just to reach the castle was a headache enough, adding onto the fact that when Sokka grabs onto the large knocker and raps it against the door, but no one answers.

(Y/n) is the only one there with him. Not with him, per se, but more like watching over him from a hidden branch on a tree while the others relax at the campsite. So, sue her, she doesn’t want to miss a second of this. It’s one of his defining moments and you can bet your ass she’s going to oversee everything.

Stalking. She— _yes, she’s_ _stalking_ , alright? So, what? So, what, huh? Sokka’s stalked her before, she can do it, too; _it’s allowed_. Honestly, fuck you.

Either way, Sokka is frustrated when no one opens the gates and so he grabs both knockers and bangs them loudly and frantically against the doors.

It swings open by butler and Sokka flinches. The butler’s expression is apathetic, completely passive that it catches Sokka off-guard. “Can I help you?”

Sokka composes himself, his shoulders straighten, and he says, “I've come to train with The Master.”

Still, the butler is unmoved. Even his voice is monotone. “You should know the Master turns almost everyone away. What did you bring him to prove your worth?” He holds out his hand expectedly.

Sokka begins feeling around his clothes but he falters, and his expression is sheepish. “Well, uh...”

The butler only shakes his head. “Let's get this over with.”

Sokka steps through the gate and the doors swing shut, rendering (Y/n) blind at the ongoings inside. She slides along the thick branch before reaching out to a branch on the next tree. It teeters in her weight, but her steps are quick and light as she shimmies a little higher and rounds the bark to get to the next tree. This continues until she’s at a tree overlooking the gate and it lets her leap past without any problem.

Then it’s only a matter of dodging and hiding in shadows past the castle courtyard and into the caste, where she has to climb stairs to the tallest tower. It’s dangerous and the butler could catch her at any second, but (Y/n) trusts her—Kim’s skills completely.

When she does make it to the top where the door is cracked ajar, leading to a large room with a red carpet and tall windows, (Y/n) is struck by how familiar the way Piandao sits, backlit against the sunlight streaming through. His posture is straight, and she can almost hear Shang Fu snap at her to sit upright, and she realizes that Kim is with her. Feeding her the memory, or maybe reliving it, with a certain amount of melancholy, but fondness, nonetheless.

(Y/n) murmurs to herself, “I’m sorry you lost him.”

It’s like Kim stiffens, making her confused, but then there’s a short, sharp hit that tells (Y/n) to mind her own business. And she really wished she could if she wasn’t dominating over the body they both occupy.

So, she pulls herself away from Kim and towards Piandao, peeking in just enough that no one can spot her. Piandao sits at a small table in front of the windows, dressed in a black cheongsam. He holds a calligraphy brush and his movements are graceful as he draws across the script. 

Sokka is there before him, awkward and nervous, saying words she cannot hear, and Piandao seems annoyed by his presence. Except for the part when Sokka sinks to his knees humbly and says something that piques Piandao’s interest.

“—and I don’t know if I’m worthy,” Sokka says, louder.

(Y/n)’s heart constricts at how horribly sad he sounds, how much he believes in that. Kim pokes at her rudely and for the first time, she realizes that Kim isn’t like her.

Kim is strong. She can fight like one of the best. She has a hundred strategies in her head. Her thought process doesn’t involve feelings because they do not drive her. What drives her is physical success, no matter how bad it makes her feel. No matter how much she foregoes herself. She _will_ succeed, and if she doesn’t, that earns an unprecedented reaction to fix or run.

(Y/n) is much different. She cannot fight on her own, though months of strenuous exercise, discipline and practise has made her feel like her limbs are less under muscle memory and more under her control, as if she’s finally moving it to her will. But she’s emotional. Sometimes overly, but that’s what drives her; she wants to succeed, but only if she agrees.

That’s why she couldn’t see Aang get hurt. Because if it was up to Kim, she would’ve let Aang get struck by lightning just to follow the script.

 _That’s not true_ , Kim says, _Maya._

Right. Maya. Kim’s girlfriend.

But she still sent the letter to the Fire Nation. Even after knowing Maya and Master Shang Fu; she still betrayed them. That broke her a little, and neither of them know what Kim would do if (Y/n) hadn’t showed up.

Kim slams a wall between them and that’s that.

Piandao agrees to train Sokka just as a hand clamps down on her shoulder and she startles, slamming her hand out but the person moves just as quickly, and a kick to her stomach sends her banging into the ajar doors and right into the room, but she doesn’t stay on the floor long before she’s rolling up and onto her feet, ready for a fight.

The butler is already on her, grabbing one of her wrists, and she hits it. When he lets go, his other hand latches out whip quick and then they’re both in a fight to catch the other’s hands. (Y/n) kicks his knee but he bounces away before returning, and his forearm is caught by her. It jars her entire body with the force of stopping him, but her featherlight pinch to his nerves renders it boneless and it flops to his side.

Fat, the butler, finally reacts with surprise. (Y/n) grins at her victory before someone shouts, “What are you _doing_ here?”

It’s Sokka, who looks shocked, eyes sending the message, “ _What the fuck, dude?”_

The butler uses the distraction to send her sprawling to the floor. Sokka’s face drains of colour. “Oh,” (Y/n) stutters. “Hey?”

“Who’s this?” Piandao asks, sheathing his sword and approaching with light footsteps.

Sokka sucks in a breath, giving her a dirty look. (Y/n) turns to Piandao and says, “My name’s Kim. I’m a friend of Sokka’s.”

“You’re trespassing,” Piandao replies sternly.

She can tell the moment Sokka grows terrified of losing this opportunity. (Y/n) bites her lip. “I’m sorry, I was nosey. Don’t—don’t let Sokka pay for that. Please teach him, I won’t do it again.”

Piandao is silent for a moment – studying her. “Kim, you said?” He rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Not many Kim’s who can… where did you learn to fight like that?”

Her eyes grow wide with alarm. She can’t tell anything about Shang Fu. Even Sokka is staring at her in panic, before she blurts out, “Fire Academy! My parents signed me up since I wasn’t a bender and they were. They wanted me to be useful.”

He hums, eyes glinting with amusement. “Alright. And while I don’t like trespassers, you’re _talented_. No one gets past the gate without Fat knowing.” Piandao sends a meaningful look to his butler before plucking up a small, silk red pouch from a drawer in his desk. “Let’s make this interesting. If you can successfully infiltrate this tower and steal this, without getting caught by Fat, I’ll let you stay for Sokka’s training. Should he allow it.”

Sokka’s eyes narrow at her before he nods, a grin tugging at his lips. “Keep an eye on the trees. She’s a climber.”

(Y/n) nearly snarls at him. Even Kim is glaring at Sokka. She points to her eyes before aiming it at Fat. “Better watch out. I’m gonna show you just how stealthy I am.”

Fat remains passive. “I look forward to it.”

Piandao smiles shortly and places the pouch on the desk deliberately. “Good luck, Miss Kim.”

*  
  
The next time (Y/n) breaks in, she has to be a little creative because she can see Fat stare at her from a window as she blends herself in the shrubbery.

But that doesn’t throw her off. No, she has made a plan and it’s going to work flawlessly, because now even Kim’s invested. Nothing brings together two people more than a common enemy. Or in this case, a butler.

Just on time, Momo flies by the window Fat is looking out of and screeches at the butler. By the time the flying lemur is shooed away, (Y/n) is gone and Fat’s eyes narrow.

(Y/n) hides further into the trees until Fat has a hard time finding her, and then she drops to the ground. Crawling to the side of the castle, there’s a small brick part hidden by shrubbery that’s been broken into a big enough hole for her to squeeze past, and when she’s on the other side, she sees a pair of feet tapping the ground.

Looking up slowly, Fat’s lips twitch upwards for a second before smoothing out.

“Try again, miss?” he says smugly.

(Y/n) grunts and crawls backwards out of the hole. On the way back to the campsite, Momo flies back and perches on her shoulder to croon.

“He wins this round,” she says as she scratches under his chin.

*

The kids, sans Sokka, are in the countryside, all lying on their backs in a circle. Momo is snoozing next to Katara after hogging all the fruit and a makeshift roof houses a sleeping Appa.

They are silent. The birds chirp and the wind rustles bushes and trees but they’re all just so… lethargic.

Aang purses his lips. “What should we do today?”

“I'm tapped out.” Toph admits. Her feet swing up perpendicular to her so that everyone gets a view of her dirty, wiggling toes. “I already picked my toes, twice.”

“Twice?”

“The first time was for cleaning, but the second time's just for the sweet picking sensation.”

Katara rubs her face. “Sokka's been in charge of the schedule. I'm not sure what we should be doing.”

Toph, instead picks her nose. “Plus, it's so hot today.”

“How hot is it?”

“I don't know. Real hot?”

Katara sits up, eager as she says, “It's so hot, it's so hot... Momo is shedding like Appa.” She pets Momo and flicks tufts of fur from her fingers. “Huh, eh?”

None of them laugh. (Y/n) huffs, tracing the cloudless sky. “I guess the jokes don't run in the family.”

Katara sends her a dirty look. “Oh, everyone's a critic.”

Aang’s eyes shift to his left where (Y/n) is dazedly using her fingers to draw shapes in the sky. “You’re a fun person. Got anything to do?”

“That butler got one up on me,” she replies absently, and the others perk up with interest. “Like, crazy fast. No one’s ever picked up on my presence, but he—” her eyes narrow. “I won’t stand for this. I’m breaking in again, and this time, I’m gonna get in without that guy noticing.”

As she gets up, Katara raises a brow. “Didn’t Sokka kick you out?”

(Y/n) falters. “He did. But that doesn’t mean anything. Sokka would _want_ me to break in.”

Aang is scratching his head, but his eyes light up. “Instead of breaking in, why don’t you tell us how you and Sokka are getting along?”

“Later!” (Y/n) walks off.

“Now what are we supposed to do?” Toph moans.

In the back of her mind, she realizes it would be the perfect time to tell them about her universe travelling, but her need to beat that butler until he’s dust overcomes her. No one ruins her— _Kim’s_ skills.

She nearly stops in her tracks when she realizes it’s not even her feeling insulted. It’s Kim who wants to do this, and you know what? (Y/n)’s all for it. No one bests Kim. Definitely not some butler.

She can feel the swell of pride… and gratefulness from Kim.

*

The sewer system, luckily, runs deep below the castle, and when she gets Toph to clear her a path underground, (Y/n) moves quick and light on her feet to avoid any insects or burrowing animals before she sees the small river of sludge moving along.

Wrinkling her nose at the stench, it strikes her amused how far she’s going for pride, but who the hell cares? This is important to Kim, so it’s important to (Y/n).

She knows she’s under the castle the moment the mud turns from loose and gritty to solid, almost brick-like walls that leads her to a small, covered hole above her head. She pushes it up and slides the metal grate over before peeking her head through.

It’s dim and old, with cobwebs hanging along the walls, and it seems like a sort of dungeon where the only light comes from the tiny slits along the cell walls on either side of the long hallway. When she pulls herself up, every sound echoes dangerously loud in the empty place, and she’s sort of comforted with the fact that there aren’t any skeletons around.

At the end of the hall is a large metal door that’s ajar, so (Y/n) silently walks to it and peeks through. It leads to a staircase that goes straight upwards into a wooden door and she climbs that, too.

The coast is clear.

No alarms are ringing in her head.

(Y/n) finds herself in a hallway that widens, with a small staircase that winds upwards and she groans. Clambering up there as well, she finally reaches the ground floor of the castle, small windows every once in a while that shows the rolling green hills and the courtyard on the other side.

She gets to the second floor. From there, she peeks through an open window to the training area surrounded by shrubs and topiary, where Piandao is sitting at the top of the steps overseeing Sokka battle Fat with a wooden sword.

Sokka looks terrified as his sword is knocked away and he gets chased by a sword-wielding butler intent on beating him to a pulp while Piandao watches with disguised joy.

But this also means Fat won’t be able to catch her if he’s preoccupied with Sokka!

She makes a move to go back when suddenly something is flying through the air towards her, and her reflexes makes her dodge as it nicks her ear before striking the wall behind her and clattering to the floor.

On the floor, in a couple of shards, is a wooden sword.

When (Y/n) looks back out the window, Fat is staring up at her and Sokka is biting his lip to keep from laughing. Piandao nods his head, impressed, before announcing, “Maybe next time?”

She grits her teeth. Kim is in a rage, practically slamming the wall of her mind. “We have to regroup.”

  
*****

**“** Third time’s the charm?” Aang offers sheepishly as he notices (Y/n)’s scowl.

She grumbles. “I need to outsmart the bastard. But I’m _not_ smart.” Neither is Kim apparently, because the best solutions they came up with was more mud adventures. They actually share a single braincell. (Y/n) rips grass from the ground and throws it, and the blades flurry around her. One blade of grass lands on her nose and she blows it away, the rage turning into a frown as she wails dramatically. “This is why I need Sokka.”

“Tell me about it,” Katara says, leaning against a tree as she twirls a drop of water between her fingers before flinging it to Aang. it splats against his forehead. “Hey, who do thing Sokka likes the most here?”

“Toph.”

They all sit up, Toph straight up from the hole she’s been absently digging. “What! I’m Sokka’s favourite?”

(Y/n) tiredly nods. She plucks a fruit from their food bag and munches on it, smacking her tongue at the burst of some sort of mango flavour. “He likes how you break the rules and get yourself into trouble. Finds it refreshing. Plus, he finds it cute how you tend to cling to one of us every time we’re in the air or on unfamiliar places without earth to feel.”

Toph’s cheeks turn red. She sticks her head into the hole like an ostrich.

Katara raises a brow. “So, you guys have talked about this, huh? Then who’s your favourite?”

(Y/n) is met with two pairs of keen eyes and Toph’s legs. “Oh, I’m not allowed to show favouritism.” she says.

Aang pouts. “Come on! You must like one of us more than the other.”

And she melts at the puppy-dog eyes he gives her. Sniffing, (Y/n) mutters, “Aang.”

“I knew it!” Toph’s muffled voice shouts. She finally pulls herself out and shakes away the dust. “You’re always so soft on Twinkletoes!”

Aang beams. “Well, I like being spoiled. I deserve it.”

(Y/n) sighs. “Yeah, you really do. What about you?”

His ears turn pink. “Katara,” he admits softly.

Katara, now, blushes. “Oh. Well, I like Sokka. He’s my brother, my family, and I guess he’s the only one I can really bully around here.”

Toph grins. “My favourite among you losers is (Y/n), because unlike you, she treats me like a responsible — _ack!”_ (Y/n)’s already engulfed her in a tight hug as she squeals.

“Aw! I love you, Toph!”

“Revoked!” Toph screeches, backing away from the hug. “You’re revoked, Sap!”

(Y/n) snickers. “I’m ready for another round anyways. Anyone wanna help me take down a horrible butler?” They all shake their heads. She sighs, starting her walk back. “I’m gonna get him this time.”

“Okay, Grandma!” Toph shouts.

*

A new approach involves climbing. Not trees. The castle itself. Since Fat didn’t know how she entered the castle the previous time, she follows the same path to get past the courtyard before searching for Fat, who’s in the courtyard while Sokka makes himself a rougher version of an easy chair with a rock and soft green moss all the while tearing up the rock garden.

Fat is exiting the building, which gives her ample time to go to the other side of the castle and climb out the window. Her fingers cling to the rocky texture of the walls to the tallest tower, and then it’s just a matter of scaling the wall.

And it’s easy.

Sure, if Fat happens to go to the other side of the castle and look up, she’s caught, but he isn’t there now, is he?

(Y/n) grunts, searching for a handhold higher up and reaches the ledge of the first-floor window. Peeking through, she finds it empty, so she continues higher, where the lightest of breezes feels like a slap to her back as she teeters, but there’s confidence in her, built as high as this tower.

She gets as far as the window below the topmost one, sweating and panting as her muscles ache, and one more movement, when suddenly the window swings open and a tray of mud is tilted down. The mud slaps her head and smears down her face as she screams, nearly losing her grip. Fat’s face peers from the window, dusting his hands nonchalantly as he eyes her.

“What the fuck!” She shouts. (Y/n) licks her lips, tasting mud, and climbs over, face burning with the exertion.

“I saw you from the kitchen window, for the record.” Fat says, following as she stomps her way out and down the winding staircase. “This attempt was much sloppier than usual. Perhaps it’s time to admit defeat?”

“Never!” She snaps, tightening her hair before wiping the mud off her face and flicking it away much to Fat’s displeasure. “I was closer than ever.”

He snickers softly. “I look forward to next time, then. It’s fun.”

Fun? This isn’t a _game_! She—

She is unnaturally aggressive.

Kim.

Letting Kim know she has to tone down being so angry, she receives something akin to a growl that has her head shaking. (Y/n) trudges back, rubbing off the smears of mud that stupid butler hurled at her. How humiliating! And more importantly, how does he keep finding her even in the emptiest of hallways? She’s being super careful, so much that she’s barely breathing several times and it feels like her heartrate dropped.

She finds the others dawdling by a river near their campsite, and they look utterly mystified. Surrounding Sokka’s map of the Fire Nation, Katara is pointing to one section. “We're starting from here.”

“No, we're over on this island.” Aang disagrees and he points somewhere else.

Toph isn’t in the least bothered, but the only thing she can do is give snide comments. “You noodle-brains don't know what you're doing. I miss Sokka.”

“Ooh, I got one. If you miss him so much, why don't you marry him?”

Toph points directly to an approaching (Y/n). “That’s hers to bag. If she stops being such a chicken.”

(Y/n)’s hands land on her hips indignantly. “For your information, I like taking things slow!”

“There’s a difference between slow and stagnant, Sap.”

She grumbles under her breath before throwing herself down and using the water from the river to wash her head. She spares a glance at the map. “Whatcha doing?”

“You can read a map!” Aang bounces up. He shoves it in her face. “Where to next?”

Chuckling, (Y/n) pushes the map down and shakes her head. “If you think for one moment I listened to a word Sokka was saying, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“Right, you were too busy staring into his dreamy blue eyes!” Katara bats her eyelashes. The others finally crack up in laughter, all except (Y/n), who crosses her arms. Paired with her defeat in Round Four, she’s not feeling too snazzy.

“I’m going in again,” she announces haughtily.

Aang wails. “No, wait. You’re our only source of entertainment.”

(Y/n)’s eyes are intense as she stares at the castle where she has experienced more defeat than ever. Her pride was at stake. Kim’s dignity was shredding. This wouldn’t be allowed. “I have to do this.” she turns back to them quick as a whip and dramatically, darkly says, “I have to restore our honour.”

And then she’s gone, but not before hearing Toph murmur, “ _Our_?”

*

On the way up the bluff, she sees someone strolling down, rather excitedly, and the closer they get, the more she recognizes that familiar head of hair tied up and the beaming smile.

“(Y/n)!” Sokka waves happily as he runs down to meet her. “You’re not going to believe this!”

His mood is a huge contrast to hers because he’s like a bright light, but she manages a smile as he falls into step with her before pausing. “Oh, are you gonna try breaking in again?”

(Y/n) shakes her head. “I’ll do it later. I wanna hear what’s happening.”

Sokka smiles broadly. “Fat’s pretty smart, isn’t he? How come he’s so hard to beat?”

She shrugs. “I have no clue. It’s like he knows every step I’m gonna make.”

He rubs his chin. “Then figure out every step he’s gonna make first.”

That’s something to think about.

When they go back, the others have given up on the map, resting there in their boredom. Toph suddenly shoots up and screams, “Sokka's coming!”

Aang and Katara wake up, gasping and smiling excitedly. When they reach the campsite, Sokka says, “Hey, guys. What are you doing?”

The three all jump at Sokka and give him a group hug. He sends (Y/n) a questioning look, but she’s already plotting her next moves against that—

“Sokka!” Aang squeals.

“You're back,” Toph says happily.

“We missed you so much.” Katara adds, “Say something funny.”

His brows knit. “Funny how?” She and Aang laugh heartily, further fuelling how high Sokka’s eyebrows raise. “What's their deal?”

Toph shrugs. “I don't know. They missed you or something. I didn't care.” She turns away to hide her shy smile.

Sokka’s expression softens. “Thanks. That warms my heart. Anyway, I need some help.”

They make their way to the crater of the meteor along the hillside. Just as they reach, Sokka’s eyes light up and he pulls Katara aside.

“What?” She asks. When he presses his finger to his lips, she hushes and glances at the others ahead of them.

Sokka slowly points to the meteor. “The perfect rock, Katara.”

Her eyes blow wide and she gasps silently. Katara begins fanning herself. “That’s—that brilliant!”

“I know!” He gushes, finally joining the others. He gets Toph to bend the meteor out of the crater before they all take positions to push the meteor up, Toph shooting earth every two seconds to shove it higher up the hill to the castle. They stop in relief and Sokka runs to the doors and bangs both knockers frantically. Piandao opens one of the doors almost immediately and steps out. He raises a brow at the other kids. “Who's this?”

“Oh, these are my friends. Just other good Fire Nation folks.” Piandao bows to them. “Do you think we can make a sword out of a meteorite?”

His eyes grow wide a fraction as he lays a hand on the rock and examines it. “We'll make a sword unlike any other in the world,” he says.

Now, while it’s the hottest, most self-indulgent thing on the planet to watch Sokka blacksmith a sword from the rock, using hammers and going shirtless in the heat of a furnace, sweat dripping down to map his chest, the muscles of his arms and back flexing with every swing of the hammer—

Fuck, that’s enough.

 _As_ self-indulgent as that is, (y/n) knows there are more important things to do.

So, she does just as Sokka advised, and begins stalking Fat the entire day. He doesn’t see it as she slinks in corners, following him around until she’s used to the tower. When dusk sets and Fat goes about lighting lamps, she hides in the flickering shadows. And there’s one thing she notices every time he passes through a door or stairwell: He always skips a step. Without fail, it’s almost robotic, how, from one side of a door, he stretches across all the way to the other side, and upon further inspection, (Y/n) realizes there’s a layer 0f something like dust, a thin, almost grey colour that blends well with the grey flagstones of the castle, but if one was to know what they’re looking for, they’d realize the dust was scuffed if someone walked past the layer without skipping the step.

That was how Fat was tracking her. He just watched for disturbed layers of dust. How tiresome.

And that concludes her day night falls. She passes by the lonely forge where Sokka nearly dozes off near the furnace, but then he’s snapping up and fuelling the fire with more coal, tiredly wiping the sweat off his brow.

(Y/n) approaches him, feeling the swelter of the heat. Her eyes inadvertently flicker down to his chest, where the scar of his burn stands out fairly against his dark skin. Her fingers twitch with the urge to trace down the marred part.

Sokka yawns. “Hey, there.”

“Hey. yourself. How’s the sword coming?”

He shifts his weight on the shovel in his hand and says, “It’s going great.” Sokka’s eyes are bright. “I’m glad you guys talked me into getting a master. I think—I think sword fighting is my thing.”

(Y/n) claps his shoulder, not thinking about how the contact near burned her. “I’m proud of you.”

Sokka leans forward, lips twitching up, and if it wasn’t the flicker of the fire, she would think his eyes darted down to her mouth. “Is there any… reward I can get for this?”

_Oh?_

_Interesting_.

(Y/n)’s fingers slip slightly under the waistband of his pant and tugs him close until their hips press. Sokka’s lips part in a silent gasp, breath stopped in his throat. She is fighting back a smile as her breath ghosts over his face, near making him shiver. Her cool fingers brush across his jaw, slowly trickling down to his neck where a small sound escapes him, drawing heat to her core like molten lava. His eyes have fluttered shut.

She presses her lips to his ear and whispers, “Self-confidence.”

Sokka shoves her away, scowling as she laughs, but his eyes are glittering with amusement.

*

The next morning, (Y/n) is back to business. She tracks Fat until he reaches near the topmost part of the tower, and once he’s done with business and he turns around to go back, (Y/n) quickly scales a pillar with a bit of struggle, but when she’s high enough, the shadows provide cover until he passes, his footsteps receding.

(Y/n) slowly slides back down, gets to the top of the tower, and spots the pouch innocently sitting on the table. Snatching it victoriously, she finally joins the others outside the main building, where the doors are fully open to the courtyard.

They sit behind in a row, while Sokka is further ahead, seated in front of Piandao, and Fat behind him, holding the sword sparing a glance to a smug (Y/n).

Piandao stands, regards Sokka with respect. “Sokka, when you first arrived, you were so unsure. You even seemed down on yourself. But I saw something in you right away. I saw a heart as strong as a lion turtle, and twice as big. And as we trained, it wasn't your skills that impressed me.” Fat kneels to Piandao and gives him the sword. He mutters, “No, it certainly wasn't your skills.”

Sokka looks down in shame, but Piandao continues as he unsheathes the sword, a black blade glinting furiously sleek against the sunlight. “You showed something beyond that. Creativity, versatility, intelligence... these are the traits that define a great swordsman. And these are the traits that define you.” Piandao sheathes the sword, kneels and gives it to Sokka. “You told me you didn't know if you were worthy, but I believe that you are more worthy than any man I have ever trained.”

Sokka stares at the sword in his hands before his eyes screw shut. He swallows roughly. “I'm sorry, Master. You're wrong. I am not worthy. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not from the Fire Nation. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe.”

Aang, Katara, and Toph all gawk at Sokka with shock and disbelief.

“I lied so that I could learn swordsmanship from you. I'm sorry.” Sokka holds his sword up for Piandao to take. Piandao turns away, frowning, feeling like a bigger blow to Sokka than anything else he could say.

Softly, Piandao says, “I'm sorry, too.”

He quickly turns back around and swings his sword at Sokka. Sokka leaps up and avoids the attack, using his sheathed sword to block a thrust from Piandao. Aang, Katara, and Toph get up and go to help Sokka, but he raises his hand to stop them.

“No, this is my fight, alone.”

(Y/n) fans her hot face as Sokka and Piandao find themselves in the sword fighting ring while they watch from the open balcony of the building.

Sokka is ready with his black sword, brows furrowed in concentration. The tip of Piandao's sword pointed at the ground, other hand upwards in a challenge. Piandao lunges forward and begins his attack, striking four times. Sokka deflects the blows and stabs at Piandao, which goes in vain as he dodges swiftly. When he sweeps his sword at Sokka's legs, he jumps over and thrusts his blade.

The fight is a flurry and clash of blades that clang in the open air harshly, but it’s beautiful to watch the swordsmen fight. Sokka sweats and Piandao shows no mercy where he knocks Sokka back. The boy stumbles, but then he’s flipping backwards and grabbing a post to catch himself.

They go to a small bridge where Sokka makes it difficult for Piandao to navigate, and he earns a compliment from his master.

even as they fight in the shoots of bamboo, (Y/n) can see how brilliant, how fast Sokka’s mind works to use his surroundings as an advantage, and it goes seen by Piandao.

Sokka screams in terror as Piandao advances after him, having lost his sword somewhere, and when he looks back, Piandao is nowhere to be seen, making him paranoid.

By the time Sokka looks ahead, Piandao jumps in front of him and pokes his sword out in front of Sokka, trying to make him run into it.

And then, (Y/n)’s heart shoots out of her chest.

Sokka leans backwards, and it’s like it goes in slow motion as Sokka slides under the blade, his face reflecting his shock. Sokka swings around and grabs a handful of dirt to swing at Piandao’s face, blinding him.

“Very resourceful,” Piandao murmurs, shutting his eyes and tightening the grip on his sword.

It’s freaky as Piandao navigates blindly, hearing Sokka’s footsteps, his head snapping around every single time. then, Sokka steps on a long twig that cracks loudly. He winces.

Piandao snaps in that direction. He twirls his sword around into an offensive position and charges forward. Sokka takes a step back as Piandao closes in and stabs at him. Sokka parries the attack, but Piandao catches Sokka's blade with his own. He pushes Sokka's sword around in circles and flings Sokka's sword out of his hands. Sokka watches as the sword stabs into the ground several feet away.

Piandao swings his sword in large, horizontal arc at Sokka. Sokka is not cut by the blade but is instead hit in the chest by Piandao's arms, knocking him on his back. Sokka looks up fearfully as Piandao turns and points his sword at Sokka's head.

(Y/n), Aang, Katara, and Toph all jump from the building to the ground and run towards Sokka and Piandao.

Piandao swings his sword away and says, “Excellent work, Sokka.”

Sokka squints curiously. With a raise of his hand, Piandao signals to Fat, who flings a scabbard towards him. Still blinded, Piandao turns and points his sword upward, letting the scabbard fly right onto the blade.

He sighs and holds the sword down. “I think I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar.”

The others pause in surprise. Aang tilted his head. “How did you know?”

Fat brings a tray with a glass of water and a white cloth.

“Oh, I've been around a while. You pick things up.” Piandao wipes the dirt off his face with the cloth. “Of course, I knew from the beginning that Sokka was Water Tribe. You might want to think of a better Fire Nation cover name. Try ‘Lee.’ There's a million ‘Lees.’” He sips his water.

Katara asks, “But why would you agree to train someone from the Water Tribe?”

“The way of the sword doesn't belong to any one nation. Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all.” He pulls Sokka's sword out of the ground and gives it back to Sokka. “Sokka, you must continue your training on your own. If you stay on this path, I know that one day you will become an even greater master than I am.”

Sokka smiles warmly, and he bows at his master in reverence.

Piandao then turns to (Y/n), and with a smile, says, “Congratulations. You’ve bested Fat.”

Fat looks appalled, even as (Y/n) brings out the pouch. Then he settles back, nodding his defeat.

“It’s been quite fun for him; you’ve kept him on his toes and Fat does love a challenge,” Piandao says, “Do visit again. However, I wanted to ask about your master. How is Shang Fu?”

(Y/n) quirks a brow. “How do you know him?”

“We old people stick together. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Shang.”

She frowns, and Piandao tilts his head. “He died in Ba Sing Se.”

Piandao touches her shoulder, eyes sympathetic. “I’m very sorry, Kim. He was a great friend and an honourable master.”

“Thank you.” (Y/n) feels grief from Kim, but it’s settled into resignation.

However, there is something else. the wall Kim has had up the entire time is now down, and she can feel Kim more clearly. Kim is opening up to her, a bridge after what (Y/n) has done for her these past two days.

“What about this?” She asks about the pouch.

Piandao presses it back into her palm. “Keep it, as something to remember us by.”

When they go out of the castle, (Y/n) opens the bag and pulls out a white lotus tile.

“It's a Pai Sho tile,” Sokka echoes.

Aang peeks over. “The white lotus. Hm.”

“What does it mean?” Katara asks.

When Fat closes the gates behind them, (Y/n) finally notices the lotus design on the doors surrounding the Fire Nation symbol.

Master Shang fu was a white lotus member.

Sokka shrugs. “I have no idea. Ooh, that reminds me. Toph, I thought you might like this since you've probably never had a chance to bend space earth before.”

Sokka pulls from his pocket a chunk of the meteorite used to make his sword. Toph takes it and bends it. “Sweet. Check this out.”

It floats between her hands as she shapes it into a swirl, a star, and then a splatter.

As they walk down the path, Katara perks up. “You know, I don't think there's such a thing as "space earth." If it's from space, then it's not really earth.”

Sokka groans. “Must you ruin everything?”

“I can't believe I missed you.”

Aang suddenly stops and grabs (Y/n)’s arm. “Wait. Who’s Kim?”

(Y/n) and Sokka share wide-eyed glances.

“And you kept saying ‘us,’” Toph mentions curiously.

When Sokka touches her elbow, a silent question, she finally relents and says:

“So, there’s something I need to tell you guys.”

  
  



	4. Book 3: Chapter 4: Pain, Bread, and... D'oh!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With two chapters for the price of one, they meet Combustion Man, go through an argument that weighs (Y/n) down, and learn the true meaning of friendship: FOOD.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My hatred for these chapters is incomprehensible. Fuck these chapters, and my life. I have never been through so much of a block and it shows. Terribly disappointed 2/10. 
> 
> I couldn't even come up with a good title for the chapter. THEY ALL MEAN BREAD why am I doing this. 
> 
> But I did like the siblings' little chat. And I'm a sucker for protective Sokka. 
> 
> I'm so sorry I took so long, but thank you all for waiting so patiently. My exams went well, and now classes have started again BOOOOOOO.

When (Y/n) explained that she was from another universe, the others took one moment and then burst out laughing. Katara called her crazier than usual and Toph only patted her hand, saying that spending too much time with Sokka has made her like him (Sokka took offense to that). Aang, however, tried to be nicer and more subtle, but his seemed more insulting than ever, claiming she was… _very creative_.

It’s not like she could prove, at that very moment, that she was truly from another universe unless something serious were to happen and she could predict it before it happens.

They very much liked the idea of smartphones. Calling anyone from all around the world? Sounded brilliant. (Y/n) pretended not to notice Sokka jotting the idea down. Along with all the inventions he tried to pry from her through his seductive, food-bribing ways.

Even when she explained Kim, they were a little put off, and she thought she finally had them, but they then chalked it up to bad acting.

Bad acting? _Bad acting???_

What a fucking insult, absolutely bruising, really.

It was deeply disturbing that Sokka out of all of them believed her.

But it wasn’t over yet, not by a long shot.

Toph narrows her eyes, barely inches away from (Y/n)’s face—she’s elevated on a rock to match her height—and spits, “One more time.”

(Y/n) sighs, hands on her hips. “I’m from another universe.”

“Baffling,” Toph replies under her breath. “It’s like she’s telling the truth.”

“That’s because I am! Like the last eight times you’ve asked, Toph! Now, can I please go swimming?”

They’re all in their swimming wear, lounging in the pool of water carved in a crater. All except (Y/n), who’s been upheld by a furious ten-year-old.

“And there aren’t any benders there?”

She shakes her head. “Everyone’s normal, I guess.”

Toph throws herself onto the edge of the crater, arms crossed and looking so indignant as if she can’t believe a universe that doesn’t have benders.

Aang has taken to blocking out anything she said purely because the first thing he had asked was, _“So, there isn’t an Avatar? I would’ve been a normal kid?”_ Which broke her heart a little, but maybe he isn’t taking it as hard because he’s swimming with a smile on his face.

Katara looks like she doesn’t believe her, and the fact that Sokka vouched for her made Katara doubly suspicious because she never trusted her older brother after the tons of pranks he had put her through.

Sokka swims to the edge of the crater and props his elbows up, staring at her as he shakes away his wet hair. He quirks a brow. “You seem disappointed. I mean, it’s one thing to not believe you; it’s another to insult your acting skills and… _creative_ mind.” He’s grinning rather wickedly.

“As angry as I am about that – my acting skills are on par, by the way – it’s more about the fact that it’s all so anticlimactic.” (Y/n) plops down at the edge and dips her feet in. It’s warm, with the sun rays warming the area. As her feet begin swaying in the water, Sokka nudges close enough that his head presses against her thigh, warm from the water and, and she can feel his bare chest if she so much as shifted her leg to the left. “At least you got a bit of a headache and stared at me like I was crazy. They just… accepted it?”

Sokka snorts, rolling his eyes. “Right, yeah, they’ve _completely_ accepted it.”

He turns his back to her and leans back against the rim of the crater and nods his head to Katara, who is obsessively rolling water along her hands, eyes flicking to each movement whip-quick. “See Katara? She is having a mental breakdown because she can’t tell whether you’re telling the truth or not. Needless to say, my word means absolutely nothing to her, that useless rat-toad.”

Next he turns his gaze to Aang, who looks normal for a steady period of time before suddenly pausing for a couple of seconds, and then he returns to splashing around. “Aang there keeps realizing small things about you that perfectly fits your story and it’s… it’s _messing_ with his head; he has a crazy look in his eyes, but he’s also trying to justify the fact that such a thing as universe travel isn’t possible. I can’t wait for him to think about the spirit world – oh, he’s got there already.” Aang had frozen, mouth gaping at the water.

(Y/n) finds herself smiling when Sokka turns lastly to Toph. “She is the most stable of the lot. After interrogating you, that is. However, Toph is plotting ways to wring out the meaning of ‘fuck’ from you.”

She barks a laugh. “I’m not telling her anything. What about you?”

Sokka turns his head, smirking. “I’ve always thought you were a little too strange to be from here. After finding out you’re from another universe, I realized that no matter where you came from, you’re still a crazy person.” He holds out his hand. “Now get in the water, Sunshine.”

(Y/) slips off her perch and sighs as the water envelopes her. When Sokka pushes her head down, she startles, holding her breath underwater, and when the pressure is gone and she pops back up to breathe, Sokka is already halfway across the pool, laughing.

She grins and begins chasing him. As they play-fight in the water, Toph suddenly shouts out, “Aang, I know swimming is fun and all, but do you really think you should be exposing yourself like that. Cover up!”

Aang, who has taken to floating aimlessly – probably realizes overthinking would make him have existential crises - with Momo curled up on his chest, opens one eye. “What? I'm wearing trunks.”

Toph raises her arms in frustration. “I know...it's your tattoos I'm worried about. What if someone sees you?”

Katara turns to Toph and waves around as if she can see. “There are walls all around us. It's completely safe. And besides, if (Y/n) were truly from another universe, she’d know if we were in danger. Right?”

(Y/n) chuckles nervously, eyes flickering to where Sokka was swimming underwater to catch her feet. “Right.”

Toph points a finger in a vague direction. “Prove it.”

“Alright,” she agrees, rolling to the side just as Sokka leaps where she was. “Metal man.”

They all pause. Aang is already gone somewhere with Momo, probably in a water tunnel, but the others are completely baffled.

“Metal man?” Katara asks sceptically. “Okay, my brain is done thinking. I’m gonna nap.”

“Not a bad idea,” Toph muses.

There’s a muffled yell, and before they can even prepare themselves, Aang comes shooting out from a hole in the crater, propelled by air until he breaks the surface of the water and raining it down on them. He plops back in and grins. “That was fun. The ride back up was exhausting, anyone else wanna try?”

Sokka scoffs. “Because I have bending to get me up, sure.”

Either way, Aang was pretty disheartened when none of them wanted to try the water slide.

One by one, they retire to their bedrolls near the water, where Appa is snoozing. Sokka has tugged his roll to (Y/n)’s, and despite falling asleep immediately, she takes comfort in it. He’s facing her and his mouth is open and honestly, he’s an ugly sleeper, but her heart flutters when his hand flops near her and brushes her arm before settling down.

Quietly, (Y/n) slips her hand into his and traces the callouses along his palm, runs over his clean nails, and then curls his hand up to her chest. She wonders when she can tell him about her feelings. She knows she’s almost ready to do so, and there’s a huge chance he will accept it and return her feelings, but distantly, she’s praying they will have more time together after the end of the war. It would break her heart if she was ripped away from more people she loves.

Toph suddenly snaps up, startling a sleeping Momo next to her, and the loud rustling awakens the others. Sokka blinks his eyes open, taking a moment to awaken. His hand twitches in (Y/n)’s hold, and before she knows, Sokka’s face turns a bright red and he coughs. “Um, my—my hand?”

(Y/n) lets his hand go with much disappointment, quelled by Toph saying, “(Y/n), I’m gonna regret saying this but, you were right. It feels like a metal man is coming.”

A bright light shines in the distance and (Y/n)’s heart shoots in her throat, silently cursing Sokka for being such a beautiful distraction. At the top of the crater cliff is where the light comes from, growing in size.

“GET UP!” (Y/n) screams and the others jump into action, just as a beam of fire heads straight towards them. They dodge and it misses burning them by inches, but the explosion is large and blows them all backwards.

Toph bends a herd of rocks against the Combustion Man after steadying herself, the ground scorching hot. On their way to the man, he beams another wave and it combusts the rock mid-air before shooting continuously towards Toph, which sends her off her feet.

(Y/n) is quick to dive and grab her to safety. Another beam is sent their way, ringing through the air like white noise and Katara shoots water, but it turns into steam uselessly.  
  
Appa roars. Aang sends a strong gust of air that throws off the Combustion Man, and Sokka shouts for everyone to follow him. They take cover behind a rock, crouched, covering their heads for the explosion that comes unexpectedly close, making the ground shudder and sending dust and scorching heat near them.

Sokka looks deranged. “This is crazy! How can we beat a guy who blows things up with his mind?”

They all turn to (Y/n) expectedly. Katara says reluctantly, “I’m gonna believe you. How do we beat this guy?”

(Y/n) thinks back to how they beat them last time, but she barely remembers this episode. However, she does remember the boomerang trick, and that bending doesn’t work without chi paths. Peeking over the rock to find the man, before spotting the tattoo of the eye on his forehead, she realizes that they’d have to hit—

Another explosion rocks them and sends smoke billowing up dangerously. It’s a chance in a million. There’s no way they can take him down.

“We’re running. Everyone, get on Appa,” (Y/n) instructs, and they clamber up into Appa’s saddle. “Aang, distract him.”

Aang nods and slides away, entering a section where rock pillars stand, and then Combustion Man catches sight of him and goes to chase him. It’s then a flurry of explosions that scare them even more and Aang barely escapes by the skin of his teeth. Aang earthbends the pillar toward Combustion Man, but it explodes before hitting him. Another beam shoots toward Aang, who bends a wall of air to send the explosion flying backward before he shoots up into the sky, turns mid-flight, and punches through an on-coming pillar of rocks. is directed toward Aang.

By the time Combustion Man dodges the rocks, Aang has already hidden himself inside a wall of rocks, and he nearly shudders when Combustion Man passes through and eyes the rock carefully.

There’s a boom as Aang bursts through the rocks, and a beam is sent his way, smashing through the rock armour and shooting Aang across the sky.

(Y/n) snaps on Appa’s reins and the bison swoops to catch Aang as he falls back downward towards the earth. She turns the handles and Appa turns tail and flies away from Combustion Man, not relaxing until they’re a good distance away.

Aang is out of breath as Katara hugs him. “I'm okay,” He says as Momo jumps on to Aang's back.

Toph huffs. “That would’ve been random if it weren’t for (Y/n).”

(Y/n) turns around, crossing her arms. “It isn’t my fault I know everything.”

“A warning would’ve been nice.”

She has a weary look on her face. “I can’t do that. Can’t risk that.”

Sokka, thank the spirits, picks up the hurt tone and skilfully didges that with a question. “Well, we don’t know why he came after us. are to fill in?

“I don’t exactly remember,” she says, scratching her head. “But I’m pretty sure the guy was commissioned by Fire Nation. Aang was recognizable because of his tattoos, from some sentries hidden around when he went on the slide.”

Aang blushes in shame. “Sorry, guys.”

“It’s okay. It was bound to happen.”

Katara’s brows raise. “How are you okay with this?”

“I’m not,” (Y/n) replies, turning to face the front. “I just got used to it.”

“What do you mean you can’t risk it?” Katara asks, and (Y/n)’s shoulders tense. “Did something happen?”

Luckily, Sokka speaks up, sparing her from talking about it anymore, knowing that she holds too much guilt that she hasn’t gotten over, and that it’s easier for him to talk about it because for him, it was barely a couple of seconds he remembered, most of it just jumping in front of her and then slightly waking up to hear her crying before he went back under. For her, she had to endure Azula, see him get hurt, see Aang get hurt, and no matter what, she doesn’t listen when he says it wasn’t her fault.

“When Aang was hurt by Azula, (Y/n) tried to stop her,” Sokka says, and Katara nods. “But she knows that Aang was supposed to get hit by lightning anyway. (Y/n) just couldn’t stand by and let that happen.”

They all turn to her, and her back faces them. She makes it her mission to not look around, not take in the sympathy or the shock. Her eyes are stinging enough.

“She tried to stop it and Azula turned to her. I was never supposed to get hurt.”

“And you think it’s punishment,” Toph completes, strangely more insightful and softer than she’d usually use. “For doing the right thing.”

(Y/n) squeezes her eyes shut. “Doesn’t matter if it’s the right thing. Or the moral thing.”

“But-“ Aang stands up, distraught, and now she definitely doesn’t want to turn around. “But with everything you know - we could end the war.”

“Without the war, you won’t become a fully realized Avatar.”

“We could save so many lives!” Aang says, louder, and it’s like a strike to her heart, a painful, shattering one. “We could end the war, the tyranny, and we can-we can go home again. We can be safe and free and you’re not doing anything about it? Why-“

(Y/n)’s fingers clench onto the reins, but tears are already streaming down her cheeks, and she bites her lip hard, clenching her jaw harder.

 _She knows_. She has tried to save someone, and more people got hurt. Imagine the consequences if she had done it on a larger scale.

But in the end, she’s stuck between doing what has to be done and knowing that despite the suffering, they come out victorious and stronger, or being moral and saving so many people, so much time, so much pain, without knowing what she’s stirring up in the process.

What is she supposed to do? It’s been warring at her ever since she came here.

“Why are you-“

“Aang, that’s enough,” Sokka interrupts. There a short moment of silence, as if they’re staring each other down, and then Aang huffs and sits back. There’s a rustle of paper, and Sokka announces, “The next place we’re going to is a town, and it’s rather big, but it’s nearby. Hopefully, Sparky-Sparky-Boom man won’t be able to reach us as quickly if he’s on foot. Land travel will take at least a few more days than us, so we will have the time to rest before picking it back up before he arrives.”

(Y/n) has never been more thankful for Sokka in her life, making sure he’s sitting between her and the others, letting her guide Appa on her own even as she cries stiffly and quietly. She still can’t figure out what to do, but she knows the longer she doesn’t make a decision, the worse her friends will feel. They already want her to make a move, damn the consequences, but right now (Y/n) has never felt more trapped and stifled in her life by their silence.

“We’re really not going to talk about this?” Katara says in a quiet voice. “You open up this can of worms and just leave it?”

(Y/n) swallows roughly, keeping her blurry gaze on the skies. Sokka, again, answers for her, and this time, it’s the end of the conversation.

“There’s a time and place for it, and now isn’t it.”

“Then when is?”

“When she’s ready for it.”

*

(Y/n) lets her hand drift across the light wetness of the cloud. “I can never get used to flying,” she says quietly. “It’s like—“

“Cotton candy, but air,” all four of her friends say together, startling her.

“You say that every time we’re in the clouds,” Aang says flatly, moving his arms in circular motions to make the cloud move with them to obscure Appa from anyone looking up by chance and spotting them.

“Plus, we don’t even know what cotton candy is,” Katara mumbles.

“It’s flavoured sugar, actually,” (Y/n) explains excitedly. “It’s spun really fast and warm until it comes out like cotton, only edible.”

“Anything’s edible if you try hard enough,” Sokka scoffs.

“I think it sounds delicious!” Toph chirps. “How do we make it?”

(Y/n) shrugs. “There’s a machine that does it. I just know they hold a stick and twirl it around.”

“Well then, what’s the use of knowing so many things, but you only know so little about each thing?” Toph receives a glare before (Y/n) realizes that’s pretty fruitless. Is she supposed to be an inventor now? She could make a ton of money, practically monopolize the place with her otherworldly knowledge, but man… she just doesn’t care about that. Besides, Sokka’s the inventor.

They reach an island, where from the top, looks unnervingly desolate. Aang sighs. “There it is. That's Roku's home.”

“But there's nothing here,” Katara says, confused.

when they swoop low to the island, where a valley is tucked between two large protruding mountains, they realize that’s all there is to the island. Trees are a rare sight and the entire land is swept in dark colours, a thin layer of ash over it all. It’s where the volcanoes erupted and destroyed everything.

When they land and jump from Appa’s saddle, a soft sound escapes Toph. “Yes, there is,” she says solemnly, “An entire village. Hundreds of houses.” A strong breeze moves a layer of ash along the ground, brushing past their feet. “All completely buried in ash.”

Aang focuses on staring at the ocean before summoning a gust of wind to life him up. “I need to mediate. Roku is… calling me.”

Sokka narrows his eyes. “This better not be a trick for getting out of chores!”

(Y/n) begins tossing down bedrolls and bags for Katara to catch, and Toph to transport by her earthbending. “Let the kid meditate without your nagging, Sokka.”

“That kind of attitude is too soft. Your kid will definitely take advantage of that.”

“Good thing I don’t have a kid. Catch!” She tosses his purse and Sokka catches it from the air, huffing lightly. He points to Aang, who is shaking his head. “Who is this, then?”

“Aang isn’t my child!” (Y/n) snaps before she waves at Aang. “Be sure to come back before dark!”

“Will do, (Y/n)!” Aang replies and flies off to the top of one of the mountains.

Once they’ve done the chores and lit a campfire to cook sticks of meat and fish over it, Toph stops picking her nose to ask, “Hey, so in your world, (Y/n), what kind of food is there?”

Sokka bursts into a shocked gasp, clutching his cheeks tightly. “I cant believe I never asked that! What—what is wrong with me?”

(Y/n) chuckles, leaning back on her elbow as she stares at the flickering fire. Not a day goes by when she doesn’t think about food. “There’s tons of food, and they’re all so delicious. Super unhealthy, but that’s the best kind. Like—” she snaps her fingers and grabs the food bag before procuring a loaf of bread and some cheese. “This will have to do.”

(Y/n) bustles around, grabbing their loaf of bread, instructing Sokka to make a low fire and heat the pan. She grabs a chunk of cheese that is wrapped in waxy paper, and a knife.

Yes, (Y/n) makes the simplest recipe known to man. A grilled cheese sandwich.

Sokka’s eyes grow the size of saucers when (Y/n) cuts a sandwich, pulling the halves apart and showing off the gooey, melted cheese stringing both parts of the warm, crusty bread.

He drools a little.

He also loses his shit when he takes a bit, groaning like it’s the best thing in the world. “How-“ Sokka complains, half-distracted trying to gorge himself on the stack of sandwiches she’s made. “How have we never thought of melting the cheese? And frying it? Fuck, this is so goo-“

“Sokka!” (Y/n) snaps, eyes flicking to an overly interested Toph Beifong. She’s caught a scent. Damn it.

“So Sokka knows what it means, too.” Toph’s sandwich is devoured in a few hasty, mouth-watering crunches and she reaches for another.

Katara, who had been foraging for some mushrooms and other plants, runs to the campfire, basket of fresh vegetables in the crook of her arm, eyes glazed over. “What is that smell?”

Sokka shoves a hot, cheesy sandwich at her face. “Taste the wonder, Katara! I love fried foods.”

(Y/n) can already see his big tummy of the future, going down this path. “Yes,” she says, flipping another sandwich. “Fried food is the staple, you see. You think you’ve tasted peak perfection? Fry it. That is true perfection.”

Katara makes a happy sound as she munches her sandwich. “Frying? Like fish?”

“You can fry fish. But the best is deep frying anything in batter.”

(Y/n) rummages through Katara’s basket and plucks up a few tomatoes. “Oh, I can make tomato sauce with this. Don’t eat all the sandwiches yet.” Sokka groans. “And leave some for Aang.” Sokka groans louder.

Rather solemnly, Sokka prods at the melted cheese, curling it around his finger. “I vow to put melted cheese on everything.”

“Oh, we do that, too.” (Y/n) mentions absently, crushing the tomatoes into a pot. “We put it on sandwiches, macaroni, chicken, fries-“

The others stare at her.

(Y/n) makes an ‘ah’ sound. “Right… you don’t know what macaroni is, do you?”

“Or fries.” Toph supplies.

“Tell me more!” Sokka howls.

“Well, we deep fry-“

Katara makes a surprised sound. “What’s deep fry? How deep do you have to fry something?”

They look at her like ravenous beasts… ravenous for knowledge! And (Y/n) has never been on the knowledgeable side, so she feels like things are either going to go very right or very, very wrong.

*

Sokka is a slut for French fries. He’s been drizzling melted cheese over it for ages with one hand, and shovelling fries into his mouth with the other.

While (Y/n) is distracted with making some food for Aang – because Sokka somehow, not on purpose, accidently ate all the sandwiches – Katara plucks a fry from him and is exposed to his possessive growl.

“You’re going a little overboard, Sokka.”

“Ha!” He scoffs, munching fast on his potato fries. Sokka’s eyes are a little too dilated. “Overboard? You ain’t seen nothing yet! I can be more overboard, I can be wayyy more overboar-“

Katara grimaces. “It wasn’t a challenge, Sokka.”

“That’s what any conniving, manipulative sister would say to get me to give up, and I’ll show you!” Sokka narrows his eyes, shoulders hunched like a mad man. “I’ll show you overboard, I’ll show you al-“

(Y/n) drops a small plate with more fries in it, rolling her eyes, but the hand that falls to his hair and strokes through it is fond. “Here’s some more, you dramatic little baby.”

“-lll.” Sokka’s words melt together as he watches her walk back to the fire, finally finishing her cooking. Katara watches with amusement, how his expression softens just a little from the mad man, to a lovesick puppy. “I’m going to marry her right now.”

Katara raises a brow. “Oh, really?”

He plucks out a dark, round stone – a bit of the meteor that had fallen to the earth that day, when he had made Toph get a chunk of rock from it, for his sword and for his engagement necklace.

“Sokka, you haven’t even carved anything into it.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m doing it.”

“I don’t think she’ll be pleased you want to marry her just because she can cook good food.”

Sokka scoffs loudly, eating more fries, this time, slower. “She isn’t going to cook a day in her life when we’re married. Because one: breakfast in bed is something I’ve been planning for months now – don’t judge me, Katara! And secondly: none of us would need to cook because we can _afford_ cooks of our own! Fried food every night!”

Katara presses her fist to her chin. “You’ve lost me, idiot.”

“You won’t think I’m an idiot when I’m filthy rich, will you?”

“I’ll always think you’re an idiot.”

Sokka scowls. “Right, anyway. With her knowledge of the foods and technology from her universe and my excellent architectural skills, we can make a fortune on recipes and ideas. Sell ‘em to the highest bidder, yadda-yadda, we’re rich, I can buy her a nice big studio with ramps and hooks so she can somersault her way to happiness, buy a bigger house and – what’s with that look? I don’t like that look, Katara.”

Katara is smiling. Strangely. “It’s just – you’ve really thought all about this, haven’t you?”

“Well, yeah, how else are we gonna be the richest-“

“I meant a life with her, Sokka,” Katara says, patting his arm. Sokka shrugs, but they both know he’s trying to downplay his feelings. “You’ve been thinking about her, a whole future with her, even to breakfasts in bed. You really like her, don’t you?”

Sokka blushes. “Well, yeah. I knew the moment she beat me in leg wrestling that she was the one.”

Katara’s own heart is squeezing. “It makes me wonder if fixing things in our universe wasn’t the only thing she was brought here for. Maybe it was for both of you to find happiness. In each other.”

“I hope so.” Sokka thumbs the little rock, quietly pocketing it. “Well, now I’m too sober to propose. Thanks a lot, Katara.”

They both knew just how grateful he truly was, despite the annoyed tone.

“She’d probably smack me if I proposed like this anyway.”

Katara eyes (Y/n), who is chatting with Toph happily. “No, I think she’d accept it even if you were a stinky, nasty little-“

“Oi!” Sokka shoves her and they both begin brawling. From across the fire, Toph begins placing a bet on the winner and (Y/n) only watches with a small, amused smile.

This is both the first and probably last time she’s ever going to cook.

*

The day comes with strangeness, surprisingly, this time form Aang.

Sokka and Katara look disturbed as they eye Aang. Toph is a little questioning, but (Y/n) is crying on the inside because she _needs_ a camera to capture this moment.

Aang is standing up on a rock— _was_ standing up—but as he meditates, eyes firmly closed, he crouches down with his legs apart like a broad sumo squat and begins to grunt.

(Y/n) chokes on a laugh. Let’s not mince words.

He… he looks like he’s shitting himself.

Katara’s face is screwed in disgust as Aang shakes his butt a little. “Do they have bathrooms in the spirit world?”

Sokka raises his finger, confidently admitting, “As a matter of fact, they do not.”

Aang begins smiling and it’s creepy.

“Right,” (Y/n) interrupts with a clap of her hands. “Who wants to play this game called Limbo? No bending allowed!”

Toph and Katara protest begrudgingly.

*

Over the hardened lava of the ground, they have rolled out their bed rolls and are sitting on them in a circle. Aang has finally finished his meditation, and relayed the entire story Roku told him, about how his best friend was the later Firelord Sozin, the one who started the 100-year war by betraying Roku and letting him die trying to stop the eruption of the volcanoes. ****  
  
Katara looks shocked in her disbelief. “You mean, after all Roku and Sozin went through together... even after Roku showed him mercy, Sozin betrayed him like that?”

“It's like these people are born bad,” Toph comments bitterly.

Aang purses his lips, chewing around a mouthful of sandwich. “No, that's wrong. I don't think that was the point of what Roku showed me at all.”

“Then what was the point?” Sokka says as he snatches another of the grilled cheese sandwiches and chomps a bite of it. He moans in bliss.

As Aang ponders, (Y/n) says, “Roku was just as much Fire Nation as Sozin. If anything, their story proves _anyone's_ capable of great good and great evil.”

Aang slowly nods. “Everyone, even the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation have to be treated like they're worth giving a chance. And I also think it was about friendships.”

Toph tilts her head, and almost in yearning, asks, “Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?”

Aang grabs her hand, reassuringly saying, “I don't see why not.”

(Y/n) clasps his hand and then Katara’s. “It can transcend universes; we’re living proof of that.”

Katara tightens her grip on her hand.

Sokka strokes his face. “Well, scientifically speaking, there's no way to prove the lifetime—”

Katara, annoyed, snaps, “Oh, Sokka, just hold hands.”

Sokka stops talking, and without moving, he thrusts out his hand to hold Katara's, and they take a moment to let the trust and love sink in for each other as they stare out the ocean.


	5. Book 3: Chapter 5: Werewolves, Vampires, and Bloodbenders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While horror stories are fun, this chapter takes a turn for the worst, as they are faced with the bloodbender hellbent on hurting the Fire Nation and passing on her deadly skill to Katara. (Y/n) learns to push past her fear of changing things when she realizes that sometimes, it's for the best, especially when her friends were going to suffer.
> 
> Featuring: the GAang thinking (Y/n)'s a werewolf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's written published by Anonymous, but that's only because I want this account to be only for my VLD fics. I wanted to make a new account for ATLA fics, but I got lazy to republish everything. I'll probably orphan these works after they're complete.
> 
> This chapter... I did not know where I was going with this one, ngl. Past Me thought it was okay to skip writing a few sections of this fic, and Present Me was stuck on those parts for over a week. 
> 
> In other news, I got more assignments yaaaaay-no. They're so boring, I just wanna chuck my laptop at the wall. 
> 
> I hope you're all doing good! Just wanna thank y'all for being so patient with me!

The waxing moon hovers in the night sky, almost full, and they have taken cover and made camp in a cave broken into the single, large mountain, where it overlooks a field of red flowers. Appa naps in the mouth of cave, and they have built a fire outside it, underneath a tall, twisted tree.

And it’s scary. This is the kind of forest people get attacked in by strange creatures.

Which… put Sokka in a _mood_. Sokka loves reading the mood of a day and playing to it accordingly. And now, he found it the perfect time to begin horror stories in the dark in the middle of McFucking Nowhere.

And although she shivered at the thought of the man with the sword for a hand — which sounds like a scarier rip-off version of Edward Scissorhands, she wouldn’t say that because she didn’t want to break Sokka’s heart like that.

She wanted to _crush_ him.

(Y/n)’s eyes gleamed wickedly under the torchlight. “Where I come from, we have things called werewolves.”

Aang purses his lips. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

She snaps to him, moving so quick he squeaks when her face is an inch from his as she growls, “But it _is_. You see, many campers who wander into forests on the night of the full moon—” she points upwards. “—like _that_ moon! They will hear howls. It shudders into their bones and deafens them, but when it putters out, they know they have made a mistake entering the forest.”

Sokka boos. “Boring!”

(Y/n) flashes the light in his eyes and he falls backwards with a shriek. “I’m not finished! You see, it’s less scary when the werewolves howl. That’s just a call for other werewolves. But when everything is silent… no birds… no animals scuttling around… not even a bug to be heard… and the only thing you can hear is your heartbeat, that means _they’re_ _here_.”

Katara muffles a sound, huffing out a breath as she discreetly looks around.

“And you wait there. In the dark, not even daring to breathe because you _know_ they are watching you, hidden in the darkness. But they’re there. They’re always there. And when you finally gather your courage to turn around, _BAM!”_ She claps her hands and they all flinch, Toph throwing up dirt. “Two glowing red eyes is the last thing you see before it bites you.”

“So… like every other animal?”

(Y/n) sucks in a breath. “A werewolf isn’t an animal. _If_ you die from the bite, that’s the end. But if the bite heals, very quickly… then you’re one of them. You’re a werewolf, cursed to roam in that beastly form every full moon, not knowing whether you kill someone you love in that single night.”

Aang lets out a breath. “They’re human _and_ wolf?” His eyes grow fearfully wide. “And people—people are that in your world? How… how are you alive…”

(Y/n) fights back a grin as she whispers, “That’s not even the worst. One of the deadliest creatures of the night is a vampire. They live among you, might be your family or a friend and you’d never know.”

Sokka looks pale. “What are vampires?”

“THEY SUCK YOUR BLOOD!” She shrieks, flailing her arms and making her friends scream. It echoes into the deep of the forest. “They are called the undead because they are alive but their heart doesn’t beat, and they will hypnotize you with their eyes, bite into your neck and suck you dry, until you’re nothing but a pile of saggy flesh and bones!”

“Holy spirits,” Sokka whimpers. “What kind of world are you living in?”

“LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ZOMBIES!”

“NO!”

“My turn!” Katara yells, looking like she’s shivering, and she’s eyeing (Y/n) as if she could be a vampire, because — _they could be your family or friends and you’d never know_ — and the campsite quietens, staring at (Y/n) with newfound respect, because if she could live through all those, how badass must she be?

And the entire time, she’s trying to keep a passive expression, even trying to control her heartbeat so Toph doesn’t call her out; successfully so far, because Toph looks pale and seems like she’s losing her mind.

(Y/n) hands the torch to Katara “i've got one, and this is a true Southern Water Tribe story.”

Sokka clicks his tongue. His hand is tightly holding onto (Y/n), latched onto her ever since she said the word ‘vampire,’ and it gives her a sense of glee that he’s coming to her for comfort. “Is this one of those ‘a friend of my cousin knew some guy that this happened to’ stories?” He bemoans.

“No, it happened to Mom.” That gets everyone’s attention. “One winter, when Mom was a girl, a snowstorm buried the whole village for weeks. A month later, Mom realized she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm. So, mom and some others went to check on Nini's family. When they got there, no one was home, just a fire flickering in the fireplace.

“While the men went out to search, Mom stayed in the house. When she was alone, she heard a voice,” Katara mimics a little girl's voice. “‘ _It's so cold and I can't get warm.’_ Mom turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue, like she was frozen. Mom ran outside for help, but... When everyone came back, Nini was gone.”

Aang wraps Momo's ears around his head nervously. Sokka is slowly inching behind (Y/n), tensed and quivering. She hates that the jitters are getting to her. She knows what’s going to happen - the horror of this episode, but she still tries to comfort him by squeezing his arm softly.

He squeezes back a moment later, resting his chin on her shoulder. “Where'd she go?” He asks.

Katara shrugs. “No one knows. Nini's house stands empty to this day. But sometimes, people see smoke coming up from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm.”

They huddle together, silence enveloping them because of one horror story to another without any reprieve and it’s fucking _scary_. It’s like they’re waiting for something to happen without knowing what they’re waiting for, and then Toph is gasping loudly, earning startled yelps.

She places a hand to the ground. “Wait. Guys, did you hear that? I hear people under the mountain, and they're screaming.”

Everyone suddenly squishes to (Y/n), Momo, too, trembling, and she would’ve snorted if it hadn’t been for the reality that… there… there _are_ people under the mountain.

 _Ohhh_ , fuck, what the fuck, this is not a game, this is — she’s gonna call quits.

Sokka is the first to scoff, rather weakly, in an attempt to soothe them. “ _Pft_ , nice try.”

“No, I'm serious, I hear something.”

Katara reasons, “You're probably just jumpy from the ghost stories.”

“It just stopped,” Toph quietly says, brows knitted in confusion.

Aang chuckles nervously, looking around. “All right, now I'm getting scared.” He’s clinging to (Y/n) like a lifeline, Momo squished to his chest.

“Hello, children.” The voice is sudden behind them, and they all screech.

“VAMPIRE!” Sokka screams.

“OLD LADY!” (Y/n) shouts.

“WEREWOLF!” Aang cries throwing Momo into the air, and the flying lemur lets out an indignant sound before unfurling his wings and gliding down to rest on Toph’s shoulder.

While they all realize a torch is in a hand, shining light onto an old woman’s face, wrinkled but still smiling broadly, they relax. (Y/n), instead, cowers at the sight of her. She is somehow scarier than any monster humans can make up.

The woman chuckles softly. “Sorry to frighten you. My name is Hama. You children shouldn't be out in the forest by yourselves at night. I have an inn nearby; why don't you come back there for some spiced tea and warm beds?”

Everyone’s quiet, and for once, (Y/n) wishes they don’t have to, but Sokka is squeaking out, “Yes, please.” And her heart drops.

*

Despite looking like a murderous, insane old woman and knowing she is actually one, (Y/n) finds her house quaint. That is, for a crazed, power-hungry psycho.

The house is situated on a steep slope, and entering the place feels surprisingly better than camping in a dark forest. But (Y/n)’s anxiety has spiked up to a horrible amount and she has to prevent flinching every time Hama so much as offers her a cup of tea.

Sitting around a square table, (Y/n) places herself next to Sokka, her chair drawn close to his and further away from the head of the table where Hama’s chair resides. Across her are Katara and Toph, and at the end of the table is Aang, comfortably perched with legs crossed.

She slowly hooks her ankle around Sokka’s and immediately, his locks around her comfortably. It offers a slight comfort as she avoids Hama’s gaze. Sokka’s mere presence has the uncanny ability to soothe her nerves, and it doesn’t stop until he’s grabbing her hand under the table, running a thumb gently across her knuckles, nerves tingling and helping her shoulders relax from its stiff posture.

He knows now - she’s on edge. It won’t be long before he questions what has her nervous, and she isn’t sure if she can even divulge that information.

If (Y/n) warns them too early about bloodbending, what would happen? Katara wouldn’t learn it from Hama. Hama would be able to bloodbend them all, and without Katara’s honed ability, they wouldn’t be able to capture Hama and rescue the prisoners.

And in the long run, doesn’t Katara help outlaw the practice? Would that change, too?

“Thanks for letting us stay here tonight,” Katara says contentedly, all signs of the spooked girl gone as she settles into her chair sipping from a cup of tea. “You have a lovely inn.”

Hama smiles, crows’ feet along her eyes defined. “Aren't you sweet? You know, you should be careful. People have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in.”

(Y/n)’s hand freezes in Sokka’s, and he stiffens, asking instantly, “What do you mean, disappearing?” Sokka’s hand massages her fingers, running over the sensitive stump of her lost pinkie finger before brushing along her pulse. It spikes.

Hama’s expression darkens. “When the moon turns full, people walk in, and they don't come out.”

From the end of the table, Aang, terror-stricken, mouths silently, _“Werewolf.”_

“Well, if anything happens, (Y/n) can just chi-block them and we’ll be safe,” Toph says.

Hama glances at (Y/n) and she feels like Toph just threw her under the bus. “Chi-blocking?”

“Yeah!” Sokka gushes like the ecstatic nerd he is. “She’s super cool and all she does is—” he makes whoosh sounds as his hands slash out quickly. “—and she hits the chi—”

“Nerves—” (Y/n) interjects, an amused smile on her lips as she watches him get excited.

“—and _boom!_ No more arms and legs!”

Katara shakes her head at her brother, clearly disappointed. Aang sits up and grabs Sokka’s wrist and exclaims, “She taught me this!” And he pinches the inside of his wrist, making Sokka yelp and withdraw to cradle his limp arm.

Toph snickers. “Comes in pretty handy when we want to hang Sokka upside down on a tree.”

Sokka huffs, holding out his wrist to (Y/n) expectantly, and she begins massaging the nerve bundle.

Hama’s eyes have darkened, watching the display with what looks like too much of curiosity to seem safe. Just as quickly, she picks up her pristine teapot.

“I don’t think chi-blocking could stop what is out there – especially if it is a spirit. Who wants more tea?” As if they haven’t just broached a creepy topic, Hama pastes on a cheerful smile. They all look back at her with varying levels of fear and Hama frowns. “Don't worry,” She assures, “you'll all be completely safe here. Why don't I show you to your rooms, and you can get a good night's rest?”

They’re shown to their rooms. Aang and Sokka get tiny, separate rooms and Momo goes with Sokka while the girls get a much larger room altogether.

(Y/n) spends only ten minutes in her bed, shared with Katara and Toph, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stares at the ceiling. Wind howls loudly outside and every second comes with an ominous rustle that makes her question if something is truly out there. From downstairs, she can hear soft footsteps as Hama goes about in the late of night, and she shivers at the thought of being bended, being controlled.

She throws off her blanket and books it to Sokka’s room, flinging the door open to find Sokka sitting up, staring at the creaking of old trees outside. He has his sword unsheathed in his hand and Momo is trembling under the blanket.

“I know, Momo,” Sokka whispers, “This place is creepy.”

Just as he sheathes the sword and places it aside, he spots (Y/n) and yelps, falling back on his ass as (Y/n) shushes him, crawling into the room and shutting the door softly behind her.

Sokka holds a hand to his chest. “You scared the life out of me.”

(Y/n) sneaks to his side and he opens his covers for her to slide in, slotting herself next to his warm body and he drapes the covers over her before slinging an arm over her and tangling their legs. It’s his new favourite thing, it seems, after sharing a bed on cold nights on the stolen Fire Nation ship - rubbing their feet to keep them warm.

“Can’t sleep?” He asks, shuddering when a tree branch scrapes along the wall of the house outside ominously.

(Y/n) presses her back to his chest and grabs his arms to wrap around her waist. “I could sense you being a scaredy cat from my room, and I came to comfort you.”

Sokka snorts. “Oh, please, nothing can shake this!” His arms flex under her hands and she runs her fingers lightly along his smooth skin. He goes still instantly.

“So, you’ll be fine if I tell you about the wendigo?”

“Hey, now, let’s not get too crazy,” Sokka says nervously. Momo climbs over them and looks at both of them, too wrapped up in each other to notice him sneaking a hand into Sokka’s pocket to search for snacks, and instead plucks out something else. He goes in front of (Y/n) and gnaws at it, chittering loudly in anguish. It captures their attention.

“What’s up with Momo?”

(Y/n) shrugs, squinting to find the lemur holding something in his paw. She taps him and holds her hand out, and Momo tosses it at her. It’s a pebble, flat but circular, smoothed perfectly and for a moment, she wonders where Momo got this rock from when Sokka suddenly grabs it from her with a squeak.

“Oh, no, that’s mine!” He says hurriedly, sticking it back in his pocket. A flush rises to his cheeks and (Y/n) finds that… well, not _odd_ , but uncalled for.

“Are you okay? Why are you so possessive of a rock?”

Sokka whines. “Can we please go back to cuddling?”

(Y/n) narrows her eyes. “What’s so important that you actually admit we’re cuddling after months of calling it ‘safety harness in bed?’”

“Tell me about the wendigo.”

(Y/n) purses her lips. If he isn’t going to tell her outright, she’d have to use other methods. Throwing a leg over his waist, she straddles him, and Sokka’s eyes grow wide. He stops breathing as she presses him into the bed.

“H-ah, okay,” he wheezes, fingers twitching. One hand is still clutching the rock in his pocket. “(Y-Y/n)?”

(Y/n) runs her hands up his chest and it heaves under her palms, and suddenly, she’s sucking in a breath at how gorgeous he looks under her - all flushed and snagging his bottom lip between his teeth. Heat rises to her face, but a spike of confidence spurs her on.

This might’ve been a mistake because all her focus leaves her and instead, zones in on his soft mouth.

“Sokka?” (Y/n) murmurs, leaning down and brushing a hand along his jaw to guide his warm face back to her. “Come on, you know you can tell me anything.”

Sokka’s eyes hood delightfully as a hand holds her hip steady, flickering down to her lips that’s close — _too_ close, and he has the urge to lean up and close the gap. “I can tell you anything,” he breathes, barely a whisper, but it fans across her face like a promise, making her giddy.

Her hand sneakily trails back down, and just when it dips in his pocket, Sokka snaps out of his daze and shouts, “NO!” Before throwing her off him.

(Y/n) lands on her side, grunting. “Goddammit. Thought that would’ve worked.”

Sokka’s eyes grow wide and he has disposed of the rock, now glaring at her. “You—you sneaky little—”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t like.”

He looks like he’s going to have a heart attack as he presses a hand to his chest, slumping his head back on his pillow. He swipes his hair back and huffs. “Alright,” Sokka says, “Now that I’ve made it clear that the rock is not up for debate, mind telling me what’s got you so spooked? Are we in danger?”

(Y/n) chuckles nervously, accepting his outstretched arm and she wraps herself in in before he tucks the covers back around them again. “I can’t tell you what it is.”

There’s a pause. Sokka is breathing along her hair, hot and soft. Under her palm pressed to his chest, she can feel his heartbeat thud rhythmically, soothing and encompassing that she wishes she could put her ear there and fall asleep to the muffled beating.

“Do you want to try pushing it a little?”

“I’m afraid something worse will happen. What we’re gonna face is life or death and if things go accordingly, it’s life.”

“Then why do you look so troubled?”

He thumbs her heavy frown, the brush along her lips gentle. (Y/n) knows that despite surviving through this, it’s gonna be Katara who pays for it. “There’s always something to lose, or a price to pay,” she says quietly, “And… not this time, Sokka. It’s important.”

“Alright,” Sokka replies shortly, wrapping her tighter in his arms. “I doubt I can fall asleep with the way everything outside sounds, but we can try.”

In exactly three seconds, Sokka is snoring into her head, making her shoulders slump and shove him away to get away from the droning sound.

But their hands stay connected and warm, and it’s the only comfort to her mind that has the thought of Katara hurting over and over again.

*

  
Morning comes, and (Y/n)’s eyes snap open the moment the door creaks open. She stays stiff in the bed, with Sokka still snoring soundly, but soft footsteps make her sit up and see Hama standing there, a disapproving frown on her face.

“I gave you a bed,” Hama says, and it clearly has the undertone of _‘You shouldn’t be sleeping with a boy you aren’t married to.’_

(Y/n) pastes on a smile and slowly puts a hand on Sokka’s… foot? Why the fuck is he sleeping upside down? Still she leans over and pats his cheek and Sokka’s eyes blink open blearily, a dreamy smile on his face. “We’re courting. Right, sweetheart?”

Sokka murmurs, “Hm, yeah. Five more minutes, Sunshine.”

A yes would’ve done the job, but now her heart is suffering for it by thundering so hard in her chest it feels like it might break out. Sokka drifts back to sleep and snuggles into the bed.

Hama looks a little appeased and she says, “We’re going to shop soon. Make sure you’re ready.”

When Hama leaves, (Y/n) rouses him awake and he shoots up, yelling, “WHAT? Im trying to dream about (Y/-)—uhh…” he rubs his eyes and sees (Y/n) sitting near him with a small smile. “Oh! Good morning.”

(Y/n) snorts, clapping his shoulder as she stands up and stretches, bending down to reach her toes and she hears Sokka choke, cursing to himself quietly. She ignores it and goes to shake Momo awake. The lemur mewls softly, and she picks him up, cradling him in her arms as she scratches his ears. Momo purrs and burrows himself into her arms happily. “We have to leave soon. Hama is taking us shopping.”

That perks him up alright.

*

  
Sokka is grumbling under his breath. It’s probably because when he heard the word ‘shopping,’ his thoughts turned to trinkets and clothes. He did not imagine himself hauling grocery cloth bags full of food, as well as his sword; (Y/n) told him to leave it behind but he’s still flaunting it — and now he’s sweating for it.

(Y/n) is currently cuddling with Momo, who is happily being fed small pieces of fruit and bread, petting between his ears, and loving how fluffy and soft his fur is. Sokka stares on jealously.

“It’s my turn with Momo,” he announces, ready to drop the bags.

(Y/n) pulls Momo away from him. “You crushed the poor guy in your sleep, and I don’t think he’s ready to forgive you. Isn’t that right, Momo cutie?” Momo croons and presses his face to her cheek affectionately. Her heart melts. She shoots Sokka a smirk sideways. “See? He wants me.”

Sokka sniffs indignantly. “I’m too good for either of you.”

Katara and Hama go to snag free Komodo-chicken sausages, snickering to themselves, and (Y/n) stares at them a moment too long. It’s sickening to realize that Hama used to be like Katara, sweet and strong and compassionate, but is now twisted and cruel. It scares her a little, too, that one certain wrong thing in Katara’s life could make her the same.

The other four plus Momo end up wandering around casually as they make their way back to Hama’s house, and they can’t help but overhear a conversation between two people. One of them, a townsman, is leaning on a stall counter where fruits are packed and displayed in baskets and hanging on strings.

“You won't have any ash bananas till next week?”

The merchant behind the counter ruefully shakes his head and nods to the sky. “Well, I have to send the boy to Hing-Wa Island to get them, and it's a two-day trip.”

Realization dawns on the townsman as he whispers, “Oh, right, tomorrow's the full moon.”

“Exactly. I can't lose another delivery boy in the woods.”

Sokka hums. “People disappearing in the woods, weird stuff during full moons; this just reeks of spirit world shenanigans.”

Aang pales. “Or it could be werewolves. If (Y/n) could be here, so could they. Unless…” he turns to (Y/n) and points a finger under her nose. “You’re a werewolf, aren’t you? Tell us the truth!”

(Y/n) holds her hands up, laughing. “No.”

“No, you won’t tell us the truth, or no, you aren’t a werewolf?” Toph asks. “Because if you _are_ a werewolf…” she punches a fist to her palm.

It only makes (Y/n) laugh harder, hiding behind her palm. “Do I look like the kind of person who would bite?”

“She’s not denying it!” Aang shrieks.

God, what fucking idiots.

(Y/n) bites her lip and turns to Toph, who straightens up, and then she says, completely normally, “I’m a werewolf.”

“I KNEW IT!”

Aang looks ready to cry, but Toph’s face blanks and flatly, she exhales. “You’re lying.”

Sokka finally puts the pieces together. He would slap his forehead if his hands weren’t full of bags. “There… aren’t any things such as werewolves or vampires, are there?”

(Y/n) giggles, wrapping an arm around a relieved Aang. “Took you guys long enough. It’s only fictional creatures. I figured Toph was too scared at the time to find my lie in the forest.”

Toph splutters. “I wasn’t scared! I was…” she gives up saying anymore and just punches (Y/n)’s arm. “You won’t get away with this next time.”

“I bet if we take a little walk around town, we'll find out what these people did to the environment to make the spirits mad,” Aang says, now recovered from the spiel.

“And then you can sew up this little mystery, lickety-split, Avatar-style.”

“Helping people... That's what I do.”

When Katara and Hama join them, Hama gestures to the bags. “Why don't you all take those things back to the inn? I just have to run a couple more errands. I'll be back in a little while.”

(Y/n) narrows her eyes at Hama. “This is a mysterious little town you have here.”

Hama smiles cryptically. “Mysterious town for mysterious children.”

A shiver runs down her spine. Sokka has an odd, confused expression as he glances between (Y/n) and a retreating Hama.

*

They are unsettled even as they enter Hama’s home. Sokka sets the bags of food down on the table and stops there, unsure what to do. The usually robust group of kids can feel the tension in the air without knowing what’s causing it, and none of them voice it out completely.

Sokka is the first to the break the silence with a soft hum. “That Hama seems a little strange. Like she knows something, or she's hiding something.”

Katara shakes her head as if she’s trying to shake the thought out. “That's ridiculous. She's a nice woman who took us in and gave us a place to stay. She kind of reminds me of Gran-Gran.”

“But what did she mean by that comment, ‘mysterious children?’”

“Gee, I don't know. Maybe because she found four strange kids, camping in the woods at night? Isn't that a little mysterious?”

(Y/n) shuffled between her feet, uncertain. Would she have to intervene? What can she do against bloodbending? Suddenly, she’s aware of three pairs of eyes staring at her and Toph’s feet pointing to her, waiting. “What?” She asks.

“You know what’s happening,” Aang starts, but (Y/n) instantly crushes that.

“No,” she says, “I am a _steel trap._ I am not risking anything.” Her eyes fall to Katara and she forces herself to not feel, not think, just… just ignore that hateful, terrible feeling.

“So, there is something up with Hama?” Katara asks.

“I never said that.”

Toph hums, walking closer. “Does Hama have something suspicious going on?” After a second, she hums. “Your heartrate elevated.”

(Y/n) grits her teeth. Why are they making this so difficult? “I can’t tell you! Stop asking, or something worse might happen that I wouldn’t know how to fix!”

Katara crosses her arms. “Maybe you can make things easier for us.”

And again, the same fucking cycle. “I _can’t_ , Katara. I’m not supposed to make things easier. Just—” (Y/n) realizes they won’t let it go, and when she stares at Sokka, he’s pondering; probably trying to figure out which option is better — letting them know in advance, or keeping things on track. But (Y/n) doesn’t want him to pick which one is easier, she wants him to pick _her_. To trust her.

 _Come on,_ she thinks _, just tell them to leave it._

Sokka finally talks, breaking the tough atmosphere with an uneasy smile. “Let’s take a look around.”

Katara squawks, gesturing to (Y/n). “But we—we can change things! We can avoid everything bad happening and—”

“We can,” (Y/n) grits out, her tone tense. “But the last time I did, Sokka nearly died. I’m not risking it. End of discussion.”

Katara looks like she wants to say more, but (Y/n) is done. She doesn’t know how many times she can repeat herself without seeing Sokka get burned right before her eyes, and bloodbending is one of the riskiest things she can play with.

No one comes after her, and she’s glad because she needs her time alone right now.

(Y/n) doesn’t realize she’s travelling through the forest until she hears the wind rustle the trees, and it takes her another moment to realize she can’t find her path back to the house, the way she came looking exactly the same all around her, trees and bushes.

She shouldn’t have come here. The sun set long ago, and now, when she looks up, shining down on her is the bright moon, full and round, like a beacon in the sky.

Shit. _Shit._

Dread fills her, and the dark forest doesn’t do her any favours, with how silent it’s become, as if even the trees and animals are waiting for her to make a move first.

She needs to go back. (Y/n) trembles all alone, unsure which direction to move in. One wrong step and she could be drifting farther away from her friends. When they might need her, during this full moon, with Hama against them.

Her gut tugs. Sharp and stifling, and (Y/n)’s breath catches.

No. No, no, why now. _Why now_.

“Fuck,” (Y/n) whispers, pressing her back against the trunk of a tree, its bark digging into her. Her friends need her, and she isn’t there and now something is going to happen-

At that moment, she realizes how foolish she is. Even if she doesn’t want to shift from the script, (Y/n) could’ve gone another way. She could’ve rescued those people from under the mountain before the full moon. Gotten Hama chi-blocked and arrested instantly. And Katara wouldn’t have to suffer. They could still outlaw bloodbending, and most of all, she wouldn’t disappoint her friends one last time.

Her hands shake. What can she do, what can she… do.

(Y/n) glances up the tree. Her brows tighten. If she can’t find her way on the ground, she’d have to find a way to see the paths. From above the ground.

So, she squints up at the branches, finds one low enough and thick enough to support her, and she backs away a few steps, stretching her limbs.

Just before she can run for the tree, the back of her neck prickles, hair standing on end.

(Y/n) freezes, blood going cold.

She can’t see even with the moonlight, but she knows.

She’s not alone.

Something is watching her.

Her heart thunders, and her fight instinct leeches out of her, replaced with an urgent voice in her head _._

_Run._

(Y/n) sucks in a breath. Whatever is watching her waits, waits like a predator, for the perfect moment to strike.

She bolts. Fear overtakes her as (Y/n) runs, feet smacking against the grass, dodging low hanging branches as she runs as fast as she can, not in a particular direction except from whatever is following her, and then, just as she leaps over a fallen log, her body seizes.

Slamming into the ground, air is shoved out of her lungs as she tastes dirt, and when she frantically tries to scramble up and keep running – despite the fact that she’s never tripped in this universe – she realizes with horror…

She can’t _move_.

Her body is not responding to her. All her control, even to the ends of her fingertips, is gone, and it’s like (Y/n) has become stiff and paralyzed.

Footsteps are soft and quick, approaching her from behind, and (Y/n) makes a whimpering sound as she fights against the paralysis. This isn’t like being chi-blocked. Chi-blocking is like her body is loose and sluggish, but this is stiff, this is unyielding and violent. This nightmare is like…

Like someone has taken control of her limbs. Of her body.

Weathered shoes come into her vision, and slowly, (Y/n)’s body rises, not on her command, but on Hama’s, who is watching her - _controlling_ her to stand.

“Fire Nation,” Hama whispers cruelly, her wrinkled face glowing in the moonlight, her fuel to her power. To her will. “Katara says you’re good, but I know better.”

“Let me go,” (Y/n) hisses, even as she’s faced with this terrible woman. Even as she wonders what’s going to happen to her. Hama could make her do anything. Could make her end herself. “Hama, for your own good-“

Hama’s eyes sharpen, wisps of her grey hair hiding them slightly. “Fire Nation isn’t good. Every one of them is wretched. Just like you. And now, I’m going to take care of you, dear.”

“My friends will come looking for me.”

“Don’t worry,” Hama says, just as she begins doing a series of movements with her hands, and (Y/n)’s hands snap behind her back tightly, making her screw her eyes in pain. “I’ll take care of them, too.”

And it’s then and there, as she stares at Hama, turned so wicked and cruel, that she realizes she can never let Katara learn bloodbending.

Because Katara would forever live with the fear that she might turn into Hama one day.

*

Back at the inn, Katara had been eager to learn more about the Water Tribes, and so Hama took her to a field of red flowers to teach her a special type of waterbending.

However, the others are restless. (Y/n) hasn’t returned from her walk, and it’s already nightfall. Sokka is especially worried, but he tries not to be for Toph and Aang, assuring them that she just needs time, and she can find her way back.

Toph softly murmurs, “Your heartbeat says otherwise.”

Sokka winces. “We should go looking for her. Use the toilet now and bring snacks if you’re feeling peckish. We’re not stopping until we find her.”

They leave soon after, going through trails that overlook the valleys. “This has gotta be the nicest, natural setting in the Fire Nation. I don't see anything that would make a spirit mad around here.” Aang comments.

Toph shrugs. “Maybe the moon spirit just turned mean.”

Sokka takes a big whiff of some yellow flowers before turning to Toph.   
“The moon spirit is a gentle, loving lady. She rules the sky with compassion and... Lunar goodness!”

They’re cut from further conversation as a traveller walks down the nearby trail and Aang turns to him.

“Excuse me, sir. Can you tell us anything about the spirit that's been stealing people?”

The townsman looks wary. “Only one man ever saw it and lived, and that's Old Man Ding.”

“Where does Old Man Ding live?”

“Who cares about Old Man Ding when (Y/n) is lost?” Sokka whines, but nonetheless, they get the address of the man.

Sokka is uneasy the entire time they search for the man. Sure, (Y/n) can take care of herself, but that doesn’t stop him from worrying. What if there’s a wolf out there? Can she even chi-block a wolf?

They make it to a house where an old man is steadying his hammer as he holds a nail against a board..  
  
Aang calls out, “Old Man Ding?”

Old Man Ding glances back behind him just as he brings his hammer down on his thumb, causing him to drop the hammer and shriek. “Eeh, yeow! Aw, dang blame it! What? Can't you see I'm busy Got a full moon rising. And why does everyone call me that? I'm not that old. “He crouches down to lift up a board but is too weak. “Aww... Well, I'm young at heart.” Aang reaches down and helps him lift the board up to the window. “Not ready to get snapped up by some moon monster, yet, at least.”

Sokka exhales sharply, impatiently. He takes the hammer and nail and proceeds to nail the board down. “We wanted to ask you about that.”

“Did you get a good look at the spirit that took you?”

The man shivers. “Didn't see no spirit. Just felt something come over me, like I was possessed. Forced me to start walking toward the mountain. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't control my own limbs.” He walks around a bit like he is possessed. “It just about had me into a cave up there. And I looked up at the moon, for what I thought would be my last glimpse of light. But then, the sun started to rise. And I got control of myself again! I just high-tailed it away from that mountain as quick as I could!”

Sokka frowns. “Why would a spirit want to take people to a mountain?”

Toph gasps. “Oh, oh no. I did hear people screaming under the mountain. The missing villagers must still be there.”

Aang’s face grows pale. “Didn’t (Y/n) go in that direction?”

_Oh, no._   
  


*

(Y/n) spends the last two minutes mediating. She has to relax to get out of these chains.

It’s hard, given how much her gut has been wrenching. Bile rises in her throat and she roughly swallows, exhaling sharply.

There are torches stuck to the walls of the cave, deep under the mountain. It flickers along the area, showing her the place Hama had dragged her to. Where, people, all fire nation citizens, are chained up just like her.

Slowly, (Y/n) relaxes her wrists. Her fingers strain as she slowly eases her thumb, tensing it inwards as hard as possible, and as it begins slipping out, the metal of the chain drags along the skin of her thumb, scraping it raw, but she keep going, until she’s free. And then she does the next finger, holding in a pained sound, but once it’s done, (Y/n) gently rubs her wrists. She quickly runs to a lump of rope stashed in the corner of the cavern and begins looping it around her arm.

“Hey,” one of the prisoners say, looking at her desperately. “Let us out, too.”

(Y/n) sends him an apologetic look. “My friends are in danger. I’ll send someone soon.”

“Hey, wait-“

But (Y/n) is already gone, out of the cave system, and into the woods, as the moon mocks her. The tugging in her gut is like a call to arms, guiding her to where she’s needed.

She bolts, as fast as she can, even as recalls that her friends were supposed to come discover and rescue the prisoners from the cavern.

Grimly, she realizes she can’t get their help. The more people involved in detaining Hama means more people Hama can use against each other.

Which means she has to go it alone, and hope that she reaches Katara on time.

But then, she thinks, as she skids down a forested path. Where are her friends?

The closer she approaches the cottage, the more her heart races and her stomach aches terribly, but she paces herself. She reaches the treeline, a little higher on the dip of the valley. Right at the base of the valley, moon shining brightly on them, are two specks in the field of red flowers, and in front of her eyes, she sees one of the figures do a sweeping motion and a radius of the bright red flowers turns grey and dead like ash.

Except, there, nestled under the heavy boughs of the treeline, are Toph, Aang, and Sokka. Still as stone, contorted slightly, and from what she can see… they’re being controlled. _Bloodbended_.

Her mind grows still with horror.

This is what’s been going wrong. Hama caught them before they could discover the caves, where they had probably been headed to. And now…

(Y/n) moves faster, and now she knows what she has to do.

*

Reaching the edge of the clearing, (Y/n) keeps herself hidden in the branches of a thick tree, peering between thick leaves to where Hama and Katara are. A few trees along the line are where her friends are, captured, uncomfortable, and motionless. For some reason, Sokka’s finger is frozen up his nose.

“I won't!” Katara shouts, backing away. “I won't use bloodbending, and I won't allow you to keep terrorizing this town.”

Katara points her finger at Hama, but her arms twists to one side, then the other side, and behind her back. Katara grabs her arm and tries to stop it.

Hama grins. “You should have learned the technique before you turned against me.” She makes a movement and Katara stands up straight and stiff. “It's impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I control every muscle, every vein in your body.”

Hama uses bloodbending to twist Katara's body around and throw her from side to side, and then slowly brings her hands down, smiling sadistically.

Katara is forced down to her knees. Tears begin to form in her eyes. “Stop...please,” Katara whimpers.

(Y/n)’s heart clenches. Now’s her chance. She yanks on the rope in her hands, and a tree branch six trees down shakes violently, catching Hama’s sharp gaze.

“Who’s there?” Hama snaps, taking a few steps toward the rustling, gazing up at the tree line, and (Y/n) presses her back tightly against the bark of the tree.

That distraction was enough for Katara to make the grass under her shrivel and die, and her eyes lift to Hama, angry. Katara stands back up and takes a deep breath, lifting her hands.

Katara growls. “You're not the only one who draws power from the moon. My bending is more powerful than yours, Hama. Your technique is useless on me!”

Fuck. That wasn’t part of the plan. Hama was supposed to investigate. Alright, improvise.

As (Y/n) begins slowly scaling down the tree to a lower branch, still hidden, Katara and Hama face each other off.

“Maybe,” Hama says sinisterly, “But it’s not useless on them!” Raising her arms, Aang and Sokka are flung at Katara, who leaps between the two and gathers more water from a tree close by and creates a massive spinning wheel of water.

(Y/n) leaps to the next tree in the midst of the fight, so no one sees the dark figure getting from tree to tree, as Sokka charges Katara with his sword.

“Katara, look out! It's like my brain has a mind of its own. Stop it, arm, stop it!” Sokka yelps as he’s knocked away but is replaced by an uncomfortable looking Aang.

(Y/n) reaches the tree Toph is trapped under, looking ultimately furious that she’s both out of the fight and trapped in an invisible cage.

Toph cocks her head to the side and whispers, “What are you doing?”

“Coming up with a plan. Can you bend anything?”

“Does it look like I can?” Toph snaps back. “Hama’s controlling us, but her hold on me is getting weaker when she’s using everything to control them.”

(Y/n) grimaces. “We need a bigger distraction.”

“What’s your plan anyway?” Toph asks as Aang is pinned to a tree. (Y/n) hides further in the leaves as the fight gets nearer. “Chi-block her?”

“Yeah. Once I distract her, send her up to me.”

“…You have to be really quick.”

(Y/n) flashes her a grin. “When am I not?” She checks her pockets, finding the rough stones she had picked up on the way, just in case.

She gets to the next tree, slithering higher up a branch, just as Aang and Sokka are controlled to charge at each other, with Sokka’s sword held forward to impale Aang, and then, just before Katara raises her hands, (Y/n) hurls a stone and it hits Hama’s leg with a loud smack.

Hama yelps, stopping Aang and Sokka before they collide, instead turning to (Y/n)’s tree.

“Who did that?” She turns to Toph, but Toph can’t even move. She knows it isn’t Toph. And It isn’t the others.

Another rock smacks her arm, this time from farther away, and she snaps there, eyes narrowing. Katara takes the opportunity to gather water and attack her, sending sharp whips of water, and Hama has to pull away from her search to defend herself, backing away with each lash of her relentless water whips.

And then (Y/n) lets loose. She begins throwing the rocks, jumping to another branch, and then hurling another one, enough that Hama flinches as she’s being pelted from the trees, and she can’t defend herself from Katara, find the source, and control all three of her friends at the same time.

And when one last rock smashes into her back just as Katara snags her wrist with water and freezes it to ice, Hama loses her control.

And Toph Beifong is unleashed.

Rock and mud explode with loud cracks, and before Hama can gather her wits, she’s screaming, as the earth under her sinks her legs in and swirls up her body like vines, until her hands are trapped against her sides, and then hardens into rock. She’s shot up into the air on a pillar of rock, right into the cluster of trees where (Y/n) is hiding.

When Hama is halfway up the height of the tree, struggling out of the rock, (Y/n) leaps out and lands on a rock Toph shoots up in perfect precision, and then she’s grabbing Hama, her hands working on her own – Kim is there with her, she realizes, guiding her sharply, one hand on the wheel.

Together, they block Hama’s hands. Hama shouts, trying to move her hands but it’s useless, and like that, her strongest weapon is gone.

(Y/n) gets behind her and delivers swift jabs into her spine, pinching one last at the base, and Hama crumples; only holding up with Toph’s rock encasing.

And like that, Hama can’t do anything but shriek in rage.

Slowly, the rock brings them both down. Her four friends are waiting for her.

But her eyes are on Katara, who looks furious and teary-eyed and scared.

Katara is looking at Hama. “You’re a disgrace, Hama, to every waterbender. This was a gift to be cherished and you-you used it to hurt people. To control people. And you made me-” Her voice cracks, but her eyes harden. “I won’t be like you. I won’t _ever_ be like you, Hama.”

Hama glares. “You aren’t worthy-” Rock clamps over her mouth tight and her voice is muffled.

Then, Katara turns to (Y/n), tears streaming down her cheeks. “what was going to happen?”

“Katara-”

“What was going to happen,” Katara hisses, “If you weren’t there?”

(Y/n) swallows roughly. “if I hadn’t stopped Hama, you would’ve learned bloodbending. You would’ve used it… to stop Aang and Sokka from hurting each other. And you would’ve controlled Hama, too.”

Katara shakes with anger. “You would’ve let me become like _her_ , then.” She sucks in a rasping breath. “Even when you knew I hated it.”

Sokka clears his throat. “Maybe we should get Hama locked up before the blocking wears off.”

(Y/n) jabs Hama once more without looking. “Get the authorities, and the people in the mountain cave. Katara and I have to talk.”

They take Hama away to the town. Katara and (Y/n) remain in the field until they’ve gone, and Katara is staring at the radius of dead, ashy flowers in the ground.

“How could you do that to me?” Katara asks quietly. “How could you ever let me do something like that?”

(Y/n) purses her lips. “Because you learned a lesson, as horrible as it sounds. Let me tell you something about the script, Katara-” Her blue eyes fix on (Y/n), watery and shimmering. “There’s always a lesson to be learned in every episode. Some are lighter than others. Some are like this; they pave the way for something bigger in the future.”

“But you’re my friend,” Katara whispers, clutching her arms to her chest. (Y/n) presses forward, touching her arms gently. “You knew I’d suffer.”

“That’s why I had changed my mind. The moment Hama had trapped me in that cave, I saw how twisted with power she had become. She might’ve been good once, and it’s horrifying to see someone turn like that.” (Y/n) smiles weakly. “You were supposed to bloodbend Hama. And be forever haunted by it - the fear knowing you have the power of someone’s life in your hands.”

Katara shudders, but (Y/n) goes on.

“That’s how you realized that no one should ever have nor use that power – for good or evil. And when the war is over, you introduce a law that makes bloodbending illegal.”

Katara looks up, eyes wide. She knows what (Y/n) is saying now – trusting her with. That Katara makes it out of the war, and most importantly, if she had the power to do that, that means Firelord Ozai…

“(Y/n)…”

“I know I’ve hurt you,” (Y/n) says, in shame. “What I had done was unforgiveable. I was too focused on consequences without realizing that if I hadn’t stopped Hama… I would’ve faced consequences anyway. Because – because everything has consequences, no matter how good your intentions are. And I would’ve betrayed you. And that wasn’t worth keeping to the script if it meant you suffer.”

Katara nods, brows furrowed. “I’m still so upset at you, (Y/n). You have no idea-” Her fists clench. “I knew I was going to bloodbend. If you hadn’t intervened… I would have done it to protect us. And I would’ve blamed you.”

(Y/n) feels her eyes sting. “I know. You’d be right to. But as long as I’m here, I’ll make sure you won’t have to protect us. Not when this is the cost.”

Yet, Katara is still pale and shaken. “I need some time to-to think. I just keep reliving that moment and I need to rest.”

“Then let’s leave this cursed place.”


	6. Book 3: Chapter 6: Good Nights and Bad Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the hurdle of revealing Katara's fate in bloodbending, (Y/n) thought it would be easier to face the next couple of days, but she's still blocked on the idea of revealing too much that could have consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am overwhelmed for zero reason. I don't think I like March very much, I think it brings up the beginning of the lockdown days and I'm still in lockdown and... nothing has changed. Or got worse, I dunno. I think I just miss going to the gym. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this short chapter!

Sokka looks at the map, visibly pleased. “This is it – the official rendezvous point for the invasion force.”

The island is lush with green mountains and fields filled with dots of Koala-sheep scattering around and munching on grass.

Where they sit, beyond them a couple hundred metres is a harbour, secluded and tucked between the cliffs. Water crashes against the rocks, muffled and repetitive. At night, the stars twinkle above them, and the moon is at a crescent, looking over the sea and rippling soft light over the waves.

(Y/n) has decided to do a last-minute night meditation before sleep, and so she’s further away from the others, legs crossed and eyes closed as she focuses on her chakras, but it doesn’t stop her from hearing the travelling voices of her friends’ conversation.

“How did you pick this place?” Toph asks, legs spread on the grassy floor.

Sokka rolls up his map. “Before we split up, my dad and I found this island on a map. It's uninhabited, and the harbour surrounded by cliffs seemed like the perfect secluded place.”

Katara unrolls her bed and sends her brother an impressed look. “Nice choice, Sokka. And we're here four days ahead of schedule.”

Aang squeaks, shooting out of bed, high into the air, and the poor boy looks horrified. “Wait! The invasion's in _four_ days!”

Sokka yawns, stretching his arms before cuddling them under him. “Whatever. That's like... Four days from now. Let's just calm down, and ...” He’s already asleep as an obnoxious snore leaves him.

Katara purses her lips, trying to be comforting. “Sokka's got the right idea Aang. We're here, we're ready…the best thing we can do now is get plenty of rest.”

Aang looks around frantically, before spotting (Y/n), and he dashes over to her, panicked. (Y/n), who has already given up meditation knowing Aang is there by his soft footsteps, smiles at him. “(Y/n)?” He whispers.

(Y/n) pats the ground beside her and Aang drops down, tucking his legs under him and pressing himself to her. She instantly wraps an arm around him. “Stressed?”

“… Scared,” he replies softly, his voice a tremor. “The invasion is in four days.”

Oh, she knows. It’s fucking her up already because that’s another huge step in an unknown direction. She doesn’t know her role yet, and she sure as fuck doesn’t want anything to do with Azula, because last time went completely sideways.

“It’s okay to be scared,” (Y/n) says, “I’m always scared when we face anyone, but you guys make it better for me; makes it easier to face the danger.”

Aang looks up, his grey eyes wide and fearful. “I know what I promised last time, but I need to know, (Y/n). Will—will we defeat the Firelord? Will I survive?”

Her heart breaks. “Aang…” she looks away, unable to look him in the eye and tell him that she just can’t. “You know I can’t say anything. I really wish I could, buddy.”

“Do I have to kill him?”

 _Fuck_. “That’s a question that will be answered soon,” (Y/n) murmurs. “Listen, all you need to do is your best, okay? Just know that if any of you were at risk, I would make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“So…”

“Aang,” she says, firmly, a promise. Levelling him with a smile, (Y/n) squeezes him. “Don’t overthink it. It’s hard, I know, but you need to rest.”

Aang does not look appeased. He is not a fan of cryptic messages, and (Y/n) knows goddamn well that she hates them, too, but there isn’t anything she can say without giving away important details. She has already lost nights of sleep thinking she was going to pay for saving Katara when it was unscripted, and the paranoia has not yet left her.

She takes him back to the bedroll and presses a kiss to his forehead before bidding him goodnight. He falls asleep, restless and scared, and (Y/n) hates to have brought this upon him.

*

 **  
**When the sun rises, so does (Y/n). Usually it’s a nice, slow wake from her sleep where she has time to breathe and stretch her muscles, but this time, the first thing she registers is several loud thuds, _repetitively_ , and it accompanies a rustle of leaves that has her shooting up in her bed roll and kicking Sokka’s feet away, waking him up in the process.

Straight ahead of them, in front of a tree, is Aang, who is continuously punching the bark of the tree, grunts escaping him with each strike. He is shirtless and his deep red scar stands out on his back, skin glistening with sweat.  
 **  
**Sokka takes one look at him and shrugs. Katara rouses awake, appalled at the sight, and she gets up, almost taken aback at how fierce he looks, as if he’s punching the living daylights out of Firelord Ozai himself.

“Hey, how long have you been up?” She asks carefully, walking over to him.

“A couple hours,” Aang replies shortly, not giving her a second glance as he circles the tree, doing some fancy footwork and varying the type of punches. “I got a lot more skills to refine if I'm going to fight Ozai.”

He pants loudly, and Katara looks uneasy. “You know there is such a thing as over-training.”

Aang gives a final extremely hard punch, which reverberates through his body before he settles his feet. He falls backward, stuck in his punching position. After a pause, all the leaves fall from the tree at once.

Katara gapes, and the others pop up nearby, all wide-eyed, watching Aang like he’s going to combust any second. Aang turns to them, finally. Under his red-rimmed eyes are deep bags. He holds up his hands in a defensive pose which makes leaves fly from his body.

Aang growls. “You don't get it, do you?” Aang circles Katara, who looks half-frightened half-amused, as Aang does a variety of air punches and defensive manoeuvres. “My form is bad. I'm sloppy. And I still don't know any firebending; not even the basics.” His eye twitches.

Sokka has his beloved map spread on the grass, and Aang is moving around him, striking, and kicking the air in rapid movements.

He glances up at the boy and leans back on his elbows. “It’s okay, Aang. The eclipse will block all firebending anyway; you don't need to know any. Plus, it's a stupid element.”

“Okay,” Aang says. He raises his arms and then begins a series of comic and sloppy attempts at chops, punches, and kicks. “Well, I still have to work on everything else. I'd better spend the whole day training.”

Aang bows quickly toward everyone and then creates an air ball to ride away on it. (Y/n) looks at Sokka expectantly, but he hides his face behind his map, and she sighs, slipping on her shoes to begin her search for Aang. Maybe if she can get him to rest for a couple of hours, it’ll be better.

Except, when she does find him practicing a slew of mixed bending that nearly takes her head off, (Y/n) realizes it’s fruitless. Aang won’t give her time to finish a sentence before he’s throwing up rock or snapping water in whips. He’s breathing heavily and his movement are sloppy with exhaustion.

“Aang, if you take at least a couple of hours rest, you can go back to practicing.” (Y/n) tries, hiding behind a tree, ducking every time broken rock showers near her. “At this rate, you’ll wear yourself out!”

Aang grunts, making an air current tornado, small, but loud enough to cut her off. “I can’t afford to take a break!”

She contemplated chi-blocking him, but she’s sure he’ll just be an anxious mess during the entire time he’s paralyzed, and that won’t be comfortable at all.

So, she returns to camp, shaking her head at Katara and throwing herself down at Sokka. He flashes her a smile as he jots notes in his journal, scratchy and small in his invasion notes.

“Safety harness,” (Y/n) mumbles, and Sokka drops his charcoal pencil to bring her close into a hug. She rests her head on his shoulder, sighing.

“He’ll come around,” Sokka says absently, “Or he’ll just tire himself out after some time, so don’t overthink it.”

(Y/n) is now on his lap, adjusting herself she’s pressed to his chest and he circles her waist, looking over her shoulder to read his notes.

A thought comes to mind – something Aang had said last night.

“Should I tell him the outcome of the eclipse?”

Sokka pauses, realizing this is getting a little serious. His lips brush the column of her neck as he turns to meet her heavy gaze. “You’re serious? What about the consequences?”

“I don’t know,” (Y/n) mumbles, avoiding his eyes. “It’s a stupid thought, I guess. I won’t be able to tell him everything.”

“Try it,” he says after some time. “It’ll give him peace of mind. If not, I have my club so I can just—” Sokka mimics a hitting motion, with a very devilish glint in his eye. “—And he’ll drop like a fly.”

(Y/n) tweaks his big ear and he whines. “We’re not knocking Aang out.”

“Well, don’t knock it ‘til you try it, Sunshine.”

Her cheeks heat up. “Your puns get worse every day,” she mumbles, ignoring the toothy grin Sokka sends her way.

Night falls and Aang slinks back to camp, thoroughly exhausted and looking like a zombie. He gives a long yawn and falls back onto the ground.

(Y/n) purses her lips, wondering if she should say it now, but then Aang is calling out, “Goodnight, Katara. Goodnight, Sokka. Goodnight, (Y/n). Goodnight, Toph. Goodnight, Appa. Goodnight, Momo. Goodnight, Appa and Momo.”

“Go to sleep already!” Toph screams.

They all cringe, and he goes back to relaxing on his bedroll, eyes shutting softly.

Sokka nudges (Y/n), nestling close to her bedroll with his face half-smashed into his pillow, blocking out half his grin. “See? Tuckered out. He’s gonna get the best sleep tonight.”

  
  
*

Aang has somehow, even worse sleep than last night.

(Y/n) can pinpoint the moment Aang wakes up blearily in the early of the morning when the sun hasn’t even risen, throwing himself into practice in a herd of Koala-sheep. Katara looks just as weary as she approaches him, rubbing her eyes.

“Aang, it's the middle of the night. You need to go back to sleep,” she mumbles tiredly.

Aang frowns at the sheep. “But I forgot my pants and my math test.”

Katara sucks in a breath, moving forward to clasp his shoulders and knocking him out of his stupor. “Aang, _sleep_. Please... for me.”

She leads a confused looking Aang back to camp and the sheep bleats after him.

(Y/n) sighs, staring at the dim sky. Every second Aang is awake is another second she’s worried and he is afraid. What if she tells him he survives, but he decides to be careless? Plus, she can’t even say he survives because what if something changes as her gut tugs? She still is unsure about her role in the invasion. Can she truly risk that?

It’s something she thinks about even as morning comes, when Aang shakes Sokka awake desperately. Sokka has barely opened his eyes when Aang shouts urgently, “Sokka, get up! I need to know what day it is!” He slaps his cheek.

Sokka jumps up, his sword already unsheathed (yes, he sleeps beside his sword), and he blindly thrusts forward with it. “What?! Who’s talking?!?” He yells before hitting a rock head-on halfway through the swing. He falls back on to his sleeping mat, his body stiff, frozen in the swinging position.

(Y/n) rubs her eyes, knowing it’s much later than she usually wakes up, and Toph is just sitting up. The young girl seems annoyed. “Relax, it's still two days before the invasion.”

Aang is tugging a sleeping Sokka to the base of a rocky wall. He points up. “Sokka, you've got to get up and drill your rock climbing exercises.”

“What?”

“In one of my dreams, you were running from fire nation soldiers, trying to climb this cliff, but you were too slow, and they got you.”

(Y/n) snorts out a laugh and Sokka shoots her a disgruntled look. Aang looks dead serious and he notices, pointing to himself. “But that was just a dream, I'm a great climber.”

“Then climb that cliff. Climb it fast!”

It’s very steep; only goats can scale that, but Sokka still licks his lips and clutches a jutting piece of rock. He swings himself up and suddenly, (Y/n) has a whole new kind of show where his arm muscles strain and he bites his lips, sweat starting to drip and glisten his neck, rolling down into his collar to his back.

He’s grumbling the whole way up, and he isn’t Sokka if he doesn’t complain. “Stupid Avatar. Stupid cliff. Stupid dream! I can climb fast!”

(Y/n) nudges to Toph. “Can you feel him?”

A slow grin curls on Toph’s lips. “I can,” she confirms in a low tone, devious.

“Then make things interesting.”

It takes a clench of Toph’s fingers on the earth for the cliff to shake and rumble, making its surface completely flat, and Sokka squeaks a sound before plummeting back down. He’s lucky to have Aang give him a boost of air before he hits the ground, but it’s not without a bumpy landing on his ass that makes him groan.

Toph snatches a satchel of water, a victorious smirk on display as she goes to sip from it. Aang takes one look and screams bloody murder.

“Don't drink that!”

Toph is already throwing the satchel away, spitting out water that lands on Katara. “Why, is it poisoned?!”

Katara exhales sharply and in one flick of her wrist, bends the water off her. Aang approaches them, eyes crossed demonically.

“In my dream, we were right in the middle of the invasion, and you had to stop to use the bathroom. We died because of your tiny bladder.” Aang swivels to Katara and points to her hair. “And you need to start wearing your hair up. In my dream, your hair got caught in a train, and—DON’T TOUCH THAT!” He shrieks louder.

(Y/n) pauses from moving, the wooden stick she was using to stoke the fire still in her grip. “Let me guess, I set myself on fire?”

Aang looks visible shaken. “No, in my dream, you poked a stick in a huge furnace, and it blew up the entire world, sending you into another universe where you’re a fish!” He snatches the stick and tosses it away as if it stung.

Sokka, from where he’s rubbing his sensitive butt, points to (Y/n) and laughs mockingly. “Ha-ha, you’re more catastrophic than us!”

(Y/n) sticks her tongue out at him.

Katara finally cuts them all off by holding Aang’s cheek delicately. “Aang, I know you're just trying to help. But you really need to get a grip. You're unravelling.”

Aang looks like he’s paranoid, but once the words settle, he softly sighs, red eyes screwing shut. “You're right. I'm losing my mind.”  
  


  
*

Aang’s eye twitches, his fingers twittering nervously. “It's like every time I think about how stressed I am, I just end up more stressed.” He paces back and forth, oblivious to how the others are more consumed by their own tasks. “I'm like a big, growing snowball of nerves.”

Sokka turns to Aang, a gentle smile stretching his lips that do not coincide with his words. “Of course, you are. That's 'cause you've got to fight the Fire Lord, the baddest man on the planet. And you better win, or we're all done for.”

“Sokka, you're not helping!” Katara snaps incredulously.

“What? It's true. That's the deal – he knows it.”

Aang is horrified, even as the siblings begin shoving each other. (Y/n) glances over from her place near the stream where she’s cleaning their dishes.

Finally, Katara says, “You know what? I've got just the thing. Get ready to be "de-stress-i-fied".”

She takes him by the shoulders to some place higher up the mountain, where a crater has steaming water bubbling in it. Together, they start stretching.

Sokka, bored, turns to (Y/n) and Toph. “You guys wanna help me build armour?”

Toph shoots up, happy to comply, and (Y/n), with nothing better than to do, wanting to take her mind off the decision she’s been mulling over, agrees.

Twenty minutes later after picking out rock and getting Toph to extract metal ores and shape it properly, Katara and Aang come back down, sweaty and smelly, looking worse than when they left.

Katara lets Aang settle into the wool of a koala-sheep. “Sokka, get your beard, you’re needed!”

Sokka straightens up, eager as he fetches his fake beard. “One Wang Fire coming up!” Just before he leaves, he winks at (Y/n) and murmurs in her ear, “See you tonight, Sapphire—" and he leaves Toph and (Y/n) holding up a thin sheet of metal.

(Y/n) tosses his journal into his bag and leans against a sleepy Appa. Her cheeks are red hot at the simple implication of that bastard—no, she’s gonna keep her cool. Nothing Sokka does is gonna push her. Ever since that night she had teased him, Sokka realized that he had the power to return the torture, and its been days of endless teasing, of insinuations – of those playful smirks and honeyed words.

And more puns. A hundred more puns fitted with pick-up lines.

She particularly loved “Are you the sun, because you brighten up my day,” which was so fucking innocent compared to her thoughts that immediately went, ‘Are you the rain, because you make me we—’

(Y/n) is not dipping into that today, thank you.

Halfway through their session, Sokka hands Aang another small koala-sheep, and Aang obliges, picking it up and shoving his face into the soft wool before screaming, absolutely terrifying the poor sheep.

  
  
*

Next comes Toph, who looks all too pleased at dealing with Aang. She cracks her knuckles, letting him lie prostrate on the rocky ground, where pillars are raised, holding him up.

“Alright, what you need is a good old-fashioned back poundin' to relieve your stress,” she says with a grin.

“Pound away.”

No sooner than that, Toph stomps her feet, causing the pillars to pummel into his back. “Ahh! Ow! Uh! Toph! I ... Think ... This ... Is ... Bruising ... Me!”

Toph stops and Aang falls off the bed of rock pillars. She dusts her hands and sneers. “Sorry, I forgot you have baby skin. Well, there's one other thing we can try...” Toph stomps and a porcupine flies into her hand from a nearby bush. It uncurls and bears its needles. Toph shoves it near him. “Acupuncture!”

Aang takes one look and runs away with a scream.

*

(Y/n) pinches his shoulder and it slumps bonelessly. Aang sighs, letting her press his nerves and block his limbs, but if anything, it only brings more weight into his body on top of the crushing sensation he has on his chest.

“It doesn’t feel nice,” he mumbles uneasily.

She stops to brush his hair off his forehead. “I know, Aang. The only other solution I have is meditation, but I think it may cause you to overthink everything.”

“Like Firelord Ozai burning me to ashes and failing my math test?”

She catches herself from saying otherwise. Instead of continuing, (Y/n) just slumps down next to him and pinches a bundle of nerves along the base of her own spine. It makes her contract and fall to the ground with a thump. They both soak up the sun rays.

“I’m scared about the eclipse, too,” (Y/n) admits quietly.

Aang turns to face her, eyebrow raised. He looks completely exhausted. “Wouldn’t knowing everything make it easier for you?”

“Not really. Not when there’s a chance things can change suddenly, and I have to fix it.” (Y/n) purses her lips. “This invasion is my first time fighting a war. It’s different running away from the bad guys or rescuing someone. So, yeah, I’m terrified.”

“How do you get sleep?” Aang whispers. “How can you smile and have fun knowing what’s going to happen and-and not being so _paranoid_ all the time?”

(Y/n) shrugs. “I wasn’t, actually, for the first couple of weeks I got here. Everything shook me because it was all so new and scary. I hated being influenced by bending because it feels like a whole new low of helplessness. And it didn’t help that Sokka was equally paranoid.”

“So, now you’re paranoid together?”

A smile finds its way to her lips. “He helped me settle more than I realize. He’s my first connection here, you know? It wasn’t easy, but when I started trusting him, I knew he’d watch my back, so I was less scared. Knew I could depend on him.” (Y/n) flicks her eyes to Aang, soft and comforting. “Just like you can depend on us. You aren’t alone, Aang, we’re here with you every step of the way.”

Aang looks close to tears. “But when it comes to Firelord Ozai? I’m the Avatar and I have to do that alone. I have to…kill him.”

(Y/n) hums. It’s a fine line she is walking, so desperate to tell him everything, but the consequences are too strong. This isn’t a simple, run-of-the-mill running away or rescuing a small colony. This is deadly, Fire nation territory where people will lose their lives and be taken prisoner. She can’t afford to mess this up.

… She’s caused enough problems as it is.

“Knock him out,” she suggests dully. Aang peers over to her in disdain. “I know you can’t kill him, Aang. You shouldn’t kill him because it goes against everything you are. Focus on capturing him. I’ll teach you a couple of chi-blocking moves, too. It’s risky when combining it when bending, but we can work on incapacitating the Fire lord.”

Aang is a little grateful, knowing there’s back-up in the plan. With a soft, “thanks,” they settle back into silence.

*

They’re all settled for bed and Aang is curled up, looking sickly. “Thanks for everything, guys,” he says hoarsely.

Katara smiles. “So, do you feel less stressed? Ready for a good night sleep?”

“Uhh...I kinda think I sorta might ... Slightly feel a little better ... Maybe.”

That was not at all convincing, but Sokka is the first to say, “Then our work here is done.” Sokka yawns, stretches, and falls back onto his sleeping mat. The others do the same.

Aang forces his eyes shut and prays he gets rest.

*  
  


A scream shatters the air and (Y/n) jolts up, hands at the ready, until she realizes Aang is breathing heavily in his bedroll, scared out of his mind. She kneels next to him, placing a hand on his back as he hyperventilates.

“Hey,” (Y/n) says, trying to snap him out of his shock. “Aang, can you hear me?”

Slowly, he nods, a short bob of his head as he trembles, gasping and crying.

“Breathe, Aang, _slowly_.” She takes his arm and presses it to her chest, exaggerating her breaths so he follows. “Come on, follow my breaths. In— _in, Aang_ , good, hold it for 5 seconds… and out.” Together, they exhale, and begin the cycle of breathing in for four seconds, holding for five, and breathing out for four again, until Aang can blink away his haze and stop shaking like a leaf.

(Y/n) meets his teary gaze and she opens her arms, letting him melt into a hug. Aang buries his face into her shoulder tightly. She rubs his back. “It’s gonna be okay, Aang, you’re safe.”

Katara’s worried voice pipes up as she crawls close. “What happened, Aang?”

Aang pulls away, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “It's the nightmares. They just get worse and worse.”

Sokka rubs his chin, and in a flash, sticks on his beard. “Looks like it's time for another therapy session.”

Aang’s expression twists into anger. “No, that won't help. _Nothing_ helps. There's only one thing I can do. I'm going to stay awake straight through to the invasion.” He twitches.

Katara gapes and Sokka’s beard falls off. (Y/n) presses her palms to her eyes. Toph is one step away from knocking him out cold.   
  
  
*

  
“Invasion! All aboard for the invasion!” Aang drones in the distance.

(Y/n) feels as crazy as Aang is because he’s been tooting a mock horn and shouting that for the past ten minutes, walking in circles. Even Sokka, the same guy who can stare down a deer eating grass for two whole hours patiently, gives up watching, and goes back to the armour, claiming he can’t watch Aang walk himself into the ground.

Behind Aang, the sun is setting on the ocean, and while it looks romantic and (Y/n) wishes she could spend time at the cliff watching it, she knows she’ll just worry.

Suddenly, Aang is holding the air, his lips puckered in a kiss. Katara is behind him, looking at him strangely.

“Love is in the air,” Toph muses. Her head swivels to (Y/n). “Speaking of love, why haven’t you and Sokka kissed yet? Are you waiting for our permission or something? A cosmic sign? An actual sign? I can make a rock arrow to Sokka.”

(Y/n) groans. “One problem at a time, Toph.”

“This is more than a problem. You’re taking so long it makes me feel like _I’m_ waiting to be kissed when I don’t even like Sokka. Would it be considered a kiss if I just mash your heads together?”

“Can we please get back to the topic?”

Toph raises her hands. “Hey, I’m not a pretend psychiatrist like Wang Fire. Say what you want, and I’ll see if your interesting.”

And that’s perhaps all she can get from Toph. (Y/n) cracks a joint in her back. “So, you know how I tried to save Aang, right?”

“Right, and Sokka got—” Toph makes a whoosh sound imitating fire. “And you’re blaming it on the universe, as per usual.”

(Y/n) narrows her eyes. Not that Toph can see, but it’s only so far her fears are being taken to callously. “It’s because I tried to change things. And then with the bloodbending—I nearly hurt Katara.”

Toph scoffs. “You did the right thing, (Y/n), even though it was cutting it close. Nothing’s happened so far.”

“And what if I’m pushing it?” (Y/n) snaps, slamming her hands on the ground. Toph twitches. “Telling Aang is so much more serious than bloodbending because it can shape the entire outcome of the eclipse.”

“Or it could make things better.” Toph shrugs, seeming entirely unsold by her opinion.

“You don’t know that.”

“Neither do you!” Toph snaps, shoving a handful of dirt in her face. “Your entire stupid existence here changes everything! We’ve all changed! And I thought after the bloodbending, you’d tell us more, but you didn’t. Nothing will ever be the same now that you’re here, so stop hiding behind a rock and use your stupid gift for good!”

(Y/n) swallows roughly, as if she’s having trouble ingesting the outburst. She didn’t expect Toph of all people to think this hard about her, but if there was one person who could set her straight (ha, straight), it’s Toph Beifong. “You don’t mince words, do you?” She mumbles, cheeks heating up in shame.

Toph stands up and stretches. “I’m going to trouble Sokka. Have fun brooding.” She walks off in a huff.

Geez. Being on Toph’s bad side really feels likes she’s wronged every single person on the planet.

But her words twisted harder into her what she already knew.

She’s going to start pushing.

Aang leaps out from the bush to surprise attack the noodle Ozai portrait patched in the centre of a red target on a tree.

“Put 'em up, Fire Lord!”

Well, maybe she’ll wait for a couple of hours.   
  
*

Aang stares at Appa, who is munching on grass, and Momo, laying on the ground snoozing. He has wide eyes and he keeps rubbing them as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing. He backs away, shaking his head vigorously.

Across the clearing, Sokka is watching him curiously while he fixes Appa’s armour. He meets (Y/n)’s gaze and cracks an amused smile. She returns it, turning back to find Aang curling near Momo, attempting tp speak the lemur’s animal language. Momo opens his eyes and chitters back, and Aang laughs.

Katara looks horribly worried as she tentatively approaches Aang. “Aang. We're all starting to get a little worried about you.”

“You've been awake too long,” Sokka says.

“And you're acting downright weird,” Toph adds.

Aang’s head suddenly snaps to Appa, who stares back unblinkingly. “Uhh.” He bows his head, frustrated, and then lifts his finger to make a point. “I appreciate what you guys are saying. But the stress and the nightmares, they were too much. Staying awake is the best way for me to deal with it.”

There’s a pause and then Aang stares between Appa and Momo.   
“Guys...come on.”

Sokka scratches his head. “I—is he talking to us anymore?”

(Y/n) realizes Aang is fucking _hallucinating_ , his head swivelling back and forth between he animals, looking increasingly worried. “Oh, this is getting good.” She murmurs.

Aang snatches Sokka’s collar and tugs him down. “Sokka, what should we do?”

“About what?”

“About that!” He points to a normal Appa and Momo.

Katara, Toph and Sokka slowly back away as Aang stalks to the animals, pleading, “Come on guys, we're all on the same side!”

“Oh, who’s winning – Appa or Momo?” (Y/n) asks, earning bewildered looks. Aang has his head in his hands.

“What can we do?” Katara asks, tugging at her hair. “He looks deranged.”

Aang shouts, “Don’t eat the chakras, (Y/n) loves them!”

“I _do_ love chakras.”

Aang screams. **“** I just need a jump in a cold waterfall.” And he bolts into the forest instantly.

Silence takes itself up between the group, until one by one, they all turn to (Y/n), various levels of pleading to expectance, and Toph’s mixed annoyed and concerned expression.

(Y/n) bites her lip. “I’m telling him when he comes back. We’ve— _I’ve_ wasted too much time letting bad things happen. I’m not going to let him suffer for it.”

Toph is relieved and Katara nods happily, probably for Aang’s sake. But Sokka has the widest smile on his face, making his eyes crinkle. Her heart races because she put it there, she made him proud of her for taking the first step and (Y/n) feels like if this is her reward, she’ll do it a hundred more times.

*

By nightfall, Aang returns. Mist clouds him, and in the centre is a large fluffy white cushion. He pops around all sides of it, feeling and inspecting its fluffiness. Slowly, he presses his cheek to it before drawing back. “Oh look, another hallucination. An imaginary bed, made out of clouds.”

“Hey! It's real! We spent hours working on it.” Toph yells from the side.

Sokka smiles. “We made it for you.” Beside him, a herd of recently shaved Koala-Sheep shiver. “A good night sleep will probably take the crazy away... We hope.”

Aang hops off the bed, shoulders slumped in defeat. “Look, you guys keep telling me I need to sleep, but I can't, the invasion's tomorrow.”

“Aang...”

“No, Katara, there's still so much I haven't learned. I don't need sleep. What I need is practice. Quick, hit me.” He raises his fists in a feeble attempt.

Katara sighs, pressing his fists down. “I'm not going to hit you.”

“You want me to do it?” Toph offers eagerly.

Katara catches his shoulder. “Listen to me, you've been training for this since the day we've met. I've seen your progress. You're smart, brave, and strong enough.”

“… You really think so?” He says quietly.

(Y/n) steps forward, guiding him to lay down on his bed. “We all do. You can do this. You're ready. And—you survive the invasion, Aang. I can’t tell you what happens, and I was worried you would be careless if I told you the outcome just because you depend on my word. But these past two days, you’ve been nothing but serious, and I know you’ll do your best in the invasion. Your story doesn’t end there.”

Aang slowly smiles. “I will do my best,” he promises.

“You're the man, Twinkle-toes.”

“Thanks, guys.” He yawns. “You know what? I think I am ready.”

(Y/n)’s heart grows lighter watching him snore peacefully, and as she walks to her bedroll, Sokka tugs her arm, smiling.

“You did good,” he says, voice low to not be overheard. “He’s gonna be okay.”

(Y/n) clutches onto him, nodding. Aang will be okay. So will Toph and Katara. But her role isn’t definite, but by Sokka’s proud look, she knows she cant destroy the moment by voicing this once thing that terrifies her.

So, she says, “Goodnight, Nerd.”

Sokka chuckles into the night. “Sleep well, Sunshine.”

**Author's Note:**

> OOO by the way, PLEASE listen to this singer ASTRID S! She's amazing, and she was actually my bi awakening and I'd love if y'all loved her, too. Her songs are the best!!!
> 
> As for my writing schedule.... hehe... I don't know? Sorry eeps it'll take some time to stabilize it!


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